Kingdom Hearts
by hikaranko
Summary: This is, in all seriousness, a direct novelization of the game Kingdom Hearts. If you've never played or if you just love it a lot, then this should be an interesting read for you. Give it a chance! I WILL finish this, no matter what!
1. Prologue

_**Kingdom Hearts  
**by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney andSquare-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

**Author's Note:** As I said earlier, this is a novel adaptation. There are few people who are as crazy and obssessed as I clearly am. For those of you who have played the game, next to none of what happens will surprise you (because hey, you've already done it), but for those of you who haven't (if you actually stumbled across this), then I hope you enjoy it all the same.And note - there will be a lot of little insider jokes. Players of the involved Final Fantasy games and/or watchers of the involved Disney films may get a bit giddy at those moments. Without further ado, I give you...Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

**Prologue**

_"I've been having... these weird thoughts lately... Like... is any of this... for real? Or not?"_

He had this strange sensation of falling into an abyss. It was cold. It was dark. It felt kind of like... like he was falling into the depths of the ocean. He leaned back, letting go, allowing himself to continue to drift away. He was falling faster and faster now. The sensation was incredible. The air that rushed over his skin was ice cold and somehow smooth. It felt something like water, but at the same time like cold air. And the freedom that went with that feeling was amazing. The boy found himself loving the feeling he was experiencing, when suddenly, it stopped. Just like that, it stopped.

The boy's blue eyes snapped open, and there was suddenly a flash of brilliant light. There before him was an expanse of ocean. His sneakers were digging into the beach sand as the waves withdrew from the shore just inches in front of his toes. He was on his island... His home. But hadn't he just been falling deeper into what seemed like the ocean? The boy had to shield his eyes from the bright midday sunlight, though it didn't take long for his eyes to adjust to the sudden change of setting.

There was somebody standing in the water. The boy squinted at the figure. Shoulder length silver hair, somewhat pale skin. He was strong; the muscles on his arms proved it. The boy recognized him. Wasn't that... Riku? The boy grinned mischievously. It was the perfect opportunity to play a trick on him. He took a step forward, ready to charge at his friend. But when he took his step into the water, there was no water beneath his sneaker. He hadn't heard the splash of water underneath his foot, nor had he felt it. The boy checked to see if he was simply imagining things. No... It seemed like the water was receding away... From him!

Just then, his eyes caught on something. It was... a tidal wave! Going straight for Riku! Riku could see it clear as day; it was barely twenty yards in front of him, huge, and coming fast. Yet, he paid no mind to it. And then, as if someone had called his name, Riku turned around to face the boy standing on the beach and stared at him with knowing green eyes. He looked as though he was smiling as he extended his right hand to his friend.

The boy charged into the water, one hand extended to grab his companion to save him from the tidal wave, which was now just a few feet behind him. The tip of the wave began to curl into itself as it hit the shore. He was knocked back by the powerful wave, and found himself pushed under the waters, despite how shallow it had been earlier. It had swallowed both the boy and Riku, but Riku looked as though the water hadn't touched him. He was still standing, in exactly the same position as before the wave had hit. He opened his hand even more, extending it to his friend. Didn't he want Riku's help?

He struggled against the water current, still trying desperately to grab Riku's open hand, when the current suddenly grew stronger and he was thrown backwards, flipping and spinning. He attempted to yell out, but only ended up with a mouth full of salt water. His eyes were forced shut and his lungs began to burn with the need for air. When he managed to open his eyes, the midday sun had been replaced by the orange sunset. He thrust his head up out of the water, gasping for air, shaking the water from his spiky hair. After a brief moment, the boy came to his senses and tried to gain his bearings. He was still at the island.

"Sora! Sora!! Over here, Sora!"

Sora turned in the direction of the voice that was calling him. There on the beach was a girl with red hair and deep sea-colored eyes, waving and calling his name with a beautiful wide smile across her face. She was completely bathed in the orange tint of the setting sun. She wouldn't stop screaming his name. Sora grinned and waved back at her just as happily.

"Kairi!"

He hurried toward her, pulling himself through the orange gleaming waves to reach her. Kairi only continued to giggle and smile. As he reached the shoreline, Sora looked up at her, somewhat breathless, yet managing to give her his best grin. Kairi couldn't help but laugh at the goofy smile on his face, throwing her head back slightly. Kairi's smile suddenly faded as she blinked in confusion, her attention shifting skyward. There was something in the sky. And no, she wasn't being a ditz upon seeing her first cloud. There was _something in the sky._ The expression on her face caught Sora by surprise and he looked up into the sky to see what Kairi was looking at.

Early shooting stars glimmered against the fiery sky, making shadows and highlights on something that was falling. Kairi gasped at the sight, as Sora blinked in disbelief. What in the world was falling? Sora squinted to make out the features of the object. Was it... Yes, it was a person! Sora looked even harder at it. It was... It was him.

Sora's blue eyes widened in alarm at the sudden realization, and he suddenly had the sensation of falling, as though the ground beneath his feet had simply given way. Kairi turned to look at him, gasping. He... He _was_ falling! But how could that be? He had been standing on the beach, next to Kairi, and _she_ wasn't falling. Sora looked up, or rather, down, trying to see where he would land, but there was no ground in sight. He then turned to Kairi, extending a hand, pleading for her help. But she could do nothing more than reach for him. It was as though she was standing on some invisible platform that had her nailed down. Sora opened his mouth and began to shout her name, but nothing escaped from his throat. And suddenly, to Sora's shock, the image of Kairi vanished, broken by a ripple as though she had been nothing more than a reflection on the surface of the water.

He leaned back. He knew at this point that it was no use to cry for help. Nothing could reach him out here, falling into the sunset. And suddenly, in a flash of light, Sora found himself surrounded by a great blue, as though he was right back where he'd started, falling into what seemed like the ocean. He spun and twirled through the water-like atmosphere, falling headfirst until his legs grew heavy, and as Sora opened his eyes (with some effort) he found himself flipping right-side up. His feet touched ground.

Sora looked around. Nothing but darkness, and not a soul in sight. Not Riku. Not Kairi. Sora took a brave step forward, and as he did so, a blinding light came up from below him. He had to shield his eyes as the darkness he was standing on broke away and flew off. Sora looked at the pieces of blackness that were flying away, and realized that those creatures were not dark fragments. They were birds. They were doves, to be more exact. Sora gaped at them, their white feathers drifting downward all around him. Until finally, all of them had flown away, deeper into the blackness that surrounded him.

He turned his head slightly to the right, so he was looking over his shoulder, then looked straight ahead of him once again. He was truly all by himself. He was on a small circular platform that seemed to be floating in the darkness. There was a picture of a girl with short black hair in a yellow and blue dress holding an apple spread across it, and all around her were the faces of seven little men, each of which seemed to express a different emotion or trait.

But Sora wasn't interested in the giant picture. He wanted to know where he was - and he wanted to know right there and then. He ran one hand through his spiky light brown hair. What to do...? Suddenly, Sora heard a voice - it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once... Perhaps it came from within him. Wherever it had come from, it had caused Sora to look back over his right shoulder. He tried to follow the voice, slowly moving his head from the right side to the left in an attempt to pinpoint the voice's source...

_So much to do... So little time... Take your time..._

Sora was at a loss. Take his time? But there was only "so little time", wasn't there? He found himself confused and almost frightened by this series of events. What in the world was happening?!

_But don't be afraid. The door is still shut._

The door? What door?

_Now, step forward. Can you do it?_

For a moment, he wasn't sure if he could. His feet suddenly felt extremely heavy, as if he had grown roots and was suddenly stuck to the spot. Sora looked around for a while, wondering if he ought to obey the strange voice. Then, swallowing hard, Sora lifted his great yellow sneaker up off the ground and took a step forward. Then another. And another. The chain that dangled at his side jingled as he moved, and his necklace, with the silver crown, rocked back and forth with his movement. He managed to cross over to the center of the platform and then stood still, as though awaiting further instructions from the strange voice.

_Power sleeps within you._

Suddenly, a beam of light appeared to his right. Sora turned his head to look at it, and saw that a stone tablet bearing a red shield had risen up from the part of the floor that the light had touched.

_If you give it form... _

Sora spun around in time to see another beam of light fall upon the surface of the platform to his left, and saw that another stone tablet had appeared, this time bearing a green wand with a blue symbol on its top. Three circles; one big and two smaller ones attached to it. It reminded Sora of pictures he had seen of water molecules in those textbooks. He then noted that the shield bore the same symbol.

_... It will give you strength._

Yet another beam of light had appeared and summoned yet another stone tablet from the depths of the flooring. Sora turned his head. This one had appeared right in front of him. This stone tablet held a broad sword with a gold and blue hilt. All three objects spun in place just above the stones. Sora looked at each item in turn, baffled, when the voice came once more.

_Choose well._

After a moment's hesitation and thought, Sora stepped toward the platform that held the sword. He pulled himself up onto the platform and took the sword into his gloved hands. Upon further inspection, Sora saw a small red circle on the hilt, and inside it was the symbol of the three circles that he'd seen on the other two items. He stared at the sword in awe, his blue eyes wide in wonder. It felt good in his hands. Like he was born to wield it.

_The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction... Is this the power you seek?_

Sora looked up into the blackness, still hoping that the owner of the voice would reveal himself. After a moment of empty silence and darkness, he looked back at the sword in his hands and nodded "yes" in reply. The sword instantly vanished from his hand, breaking up into light as though it had been made of fireflies. He was alarmed to feel strength flow into him; his body was absorbing the light of the sword.

_Your path is set. Now... what will you give up in exchange?_

He slowly turned around to look at the remaining two items; the shield and the wand. "Give up"...? He had to give one of those up in exchange for his newfound power? Sora jumped down from the platform that had once held the sword and looked at each of the items. Whatto give up? He started for the shield, but then stopped when he reached the center of the platform. No. Who wanted to be strong and weak all at the same time? His eyes drifted from the shield to the wand. He swallowed hard and walked toward it. He pulled himself onto the platform and, looking sadly at the item before him, gently took the wand into his hands.

_The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin. You give up this power?_

The wand seemed to be nothing short of amazing in itself. It had a very simple design, which would probably make it not only useful for magic, but for bashing things with as well. His fingers fiddled with the blue spheres at the top as he tore his eyes away from the wand and looked back into the darkness. Once again, Sora nodded. And, similarly to the sword, the wand broke into light, and the boy watched silently as the lights winked out one by one - he was not absorbing them this time around.

_You have chosen the power of the warrior. You've given up the power of the mystic. Is this the form you choose?_

He had to wonder why the strange voice kept saying aloud what his choice had been. But once again, he nodded his approval. Yeah. That sounded pretty good. Sora turned on his heel, awaiting further orders from the voice. Yet as he waited for the voice to return, there was a large jolt that almost knocked him off the gray platform. He looked down at his feet and realized that the platform was sinking into the stained glass image.

There was another jolt, and Sora tumbled from the stone tablet onto the colored glass. He stood up quickly, realizing that the glass, too, was shattering. The pieces flew up around him and vanished into the darkness. Sora hoped briefly that he wouldn't fall, but when the glass broke beneath him, he was disappointed to find his hopes false.

He ended up falling with quite an impressive speed. There was no light around; he was engulfed in the darkness. Where had he been taken? Sora didn't think he'd ever find out. Was he dreaming? But this felt so real... And it was lasting longer than any dream he'd ever had before. So... what was happening to him?

His hair was fluttering about wildly into his mischievous blue eyes as he plummeted further into the dark. Sora strained to catch a glimmer of light, even though he knew somewhere deep down that it wasn't going to come for a while. The darkness seemed to last forever - which was bad news for him. Most kids his age probably didn't agree, but he thought that darkness - whether it be just the dark of night or the deeper darkness of, well, this place, for example - just seemed to hold some kind of evil.

Suddenly, like a ray of hope, Sora's eyes managed to catch onto something that glowed a brilliant blue. He gazed at it intently, as though it was his savior. He eventually realized that it was another platform, just like the one before it. It, too, had a girl printed upon it like the stained glass windows of the churches he'd seen in books. But this girl was blonde, and wore a long blue dress. And in place of the faces of the seven men, he saw pictures that seemed to tell some kind of story - it had something to do with a prince and some special kind of shoe.

After a moment, Sora's feet touched the smooth surface, and everything that he'd noticed was forgotten. A sword had appeared in Sora's hand, almost instantaneously. He examined it carefully, and discovered that it was the very sword he'd chosen on the other platform. He checked it again. Yes, it had those three circles on it.

_You've gained the power to fight. Take a swing._

Sora had almost completely forgotten about the voice. It had surprised him and he jumped back a little bit, but once the surprise had faded away, he did as he was told. He took the sword in both hands and swung it around, just like the wooden one he used on the island, at home.

_Use this power to protect yourself and others._

As if he couldn't have figured that out for himself. Sora almost laughed aloud. His cheery grin, however, was wiped away when a dark spot appeared on the platform. He spun around in place to face it and leaned forward, examining it, watching a strange black shadow-like creature take shape with curious blue eyes. What was it? Was it dangerous? Would it hurt him?

_There will be times you have to fight._

As Sora watched, another spot emerged, and even more amazing was that the creature had risen out of its two dimensional form and stood before him. By this he was taken aback and unwittingly took a small step backward. Looked like this was one of those times. Sora clenched the sword in both hands and watched, his blue eyes wide in shock.

_Keep your light burning strong._

Suddenly, the thing jumped at him in an attempt to attack. Sora leapt back, then ran around to the side so he was directly behind it, then took three good swings at the creature. The creature exploded into black mist with his third swing. The other, similar creatures flattened themselves into the floor and vanished. Sora spun around several times, checking, making sure there were no more shadow creatures.

_Behind you!_

The voice had caught him completely off guard again. Sora spun around so quickly to face the shadow that approached him that he almost slipped. He swung the sword wildly before him, and to his great luck, the blade struck the shadow in what appeared to be its chest, making the creature vanish with an explosion of darkness. Only one was left now. Sora struggled to regain his footing, turning around fiercely and glaring at the monster. He was about ready to attack it when the creature flattened itself into the floor, vanishing into a dark blotch that had formed beneath it.

Sora was taken aback by the black patch's sudden appearance. A rumbling noise. Sora's head snapped in the direction it had come from. His eyes went wide as he saw more of the dark blotches. They were spreading across the platform. Within moments, more of the large dark blotches began to appear on the blue glass-like surface. First near the circular rim, and then everywhere. Spreading, like a disease. Sora looked down near his feet. These dark patches... they were everywhere! All around him! For the first time, a sad expression appeared across Sora's face as he realized with dismay that he couldn't move. Not because his body wouldn't obey him, but because that if he did, he would simply step into the darkness... And there was no telling what would happen if he did that.

Either way it didn't matter; the dark void appeared right under his feet. Sora immediately sank into the darkness, and he gasped in shock as he did so. That's when everything seemed to move in slow motion. This stuff... This black stuff... It was like quicksand, except for the texture... It felt like ice cold air pulling at his skin, pulling him into some cold, dark void. It felt… it felt… evil.

Sora couldn't stand it. While the stuff was still up to his waist, he tried to lift himself out of it, tried to pull himself toward what was left of the glowing blue platform, tried to grab hold of something - anything - that could help him.

The darkness was up to his neck now. Sora threw up a hand, hoping that somebody would grab him and pull him back where it was safe...

Swallowing his face. Sora's blue eyes went wide in terror as the last of him vanished.

He struggled as though his life depended on escaping that darkness, his eyes shut tight and his breath held as though that would help repel the evil that the darkness held. But after a moment, Sora gasped for air, his eyes opening wide and his hands grabbing the nearest object in his reach. He was grateful to find his hands press against a smooth, glass-like surface, and to see a soft pink glow out of the corner of his eyes. Sora glanced around cautiously, and then slowly rolled onto his stomach, gladder than ever to find that he'd ended up on another platform.

This one, however, did not have a distinct image of a girl on it. This platform had three pink hearts on it, each of which showed a white silhouette of a girl, the same girl in all three hearts. Who she was and what her story was, Sora would probably never know. There was nothing else on this stained glass platform, save a beam of light coming out of the seemingly endless darkness, coming out at an angle. Sora followed the light with his eyes and saw what it was pointing at. There, jutting out of the surface of the platform, just in front of his eyes, was a large arched door.

Sora stood up and walked around the door, examining it, and then stopped right in front of it. It had a beautiful ornate pattern all over it; around the handles, on the edges, where the double doors met... It seemed to be somehow important, though Sora couldn't exactly pinpoint how so. It didn't seem to lead anywhere - just to the other side of itself. It was slightly transparent, but it was definitely standing there. He placed both hands on the door's surface and pushed.

_'I can't open it...'_

He folded his arms and placed one hand thoughtfully under his chin. Now what? There was nothing else there, right? Sora turned himself around, and noticed that another beam of light had appeared. He followed the light column down to where it met the platform, and saw a peculiar red chest that had appeared. Baffled, he walked toward the chest and knelt next to it. Sora opened the chest, only to find that whatever had been inside vanished. It left only a few twinkles of light behind in the chest. He sighed and closed it again, then stood and looked at the door. And when he did so, he gasped in surprise.

It was no longer transparent. Sora blinked in confusion. But... how...? He walked back to it, but before he could lay his gloved hands on the door, he heard a strange noise coming from within. He took a few steps back. If anything was coming out of there, he didn't want to get in its way. As soon as he was a good distance away, it fell silent once more. Sora looked at the door again, starting from the bottom to the top. What was happening? Then suddenly the double doors began to part, ever so slowly.

A bright white light was emitted from within, so powerful that Sora had to shield his eyes from it. The door opened itself wide, inviting Sora to enter. He looked down at the floor, and then slowly raised his eyes upward into the light, allowing his eyes to adjust to the brightness of it. He then began to step toward it. Sora leaned forward as he walked, curious now as to what was creating the light, or what the light was hiding. But the light grew stronger and stronger, until it finally swallowed him up within.

After a moment, Sora could hear the sound of water rushing up onto the shore. When the bright light dimmed, he found himself back on his island, up on one of the wooden platforms that had been built in the trees. He looked around in confusion. What was he doing back here? Had he woken up from this dream? If so, why did he find himself still standing? Was it possible to fall asleep standing up? Sora found himself hoping beyond hope that he'd finally managed to wake up.

_Hold on. The door won't open just yet. First, tell me more about yourself._

Nope. Sora sighed in dismay. The presence of that voice... It meant that he was still in this... in this bizarre dream world. Sora looked up from the floor, and gasped when he saw the girl sitting on the wooden railing. She was stretching her limbs and yawning as though she had just woken up from a good nap and swinging her legs playfully back and forth. He knew her. He recognized the way her auburn hair swung outward, and her green eyes, and her yellow dress. Yes, Sora knew her. He smiled and stepped forward to greet her, when she suddenly turned to look at him. Sora was shocked at the hardness and the wisdom he saw in her young green eyes.

"What's most important to you?" she asked, her voice crystal clear.

Sora stared back at her, hoping to see her break. But it never happened. Sora sighed, surrendering. He didn't even have to think about the answer to that question. "Friendship."

"Is friendship such a big deal?" The girl's expression didn't change as she looked away.

A strange sense of panic washed over Sora. He began to back up quickly, but in doing so almost flipped over the edge of the platform and nearly fell into the water. Sora grabbed onto the edge of the platform and pulled himself back up onto it. As he tried to catch his breath, he saw a pair of sandals just inches away from his nose. Sora raised his head up to find another one of the kids he recognized from the island. The boy had spiky dirty blonde hair, wearing a short yellow and white jacket and blue shorts that were longer on one leg than the other. He had the same hardness and wisdom in his face as the girl.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked, his voice also ringing out as clear as day.

He looked at the boy before him as though he was crazy. Sora had to wonder if these were really the kids he knew, or just images of them that the strange voice had pulled from his memory. It didn't matter. The voice _had_ said to tell him more about himself. Sora sighed in defeat, but he had to think about this question.

"Being... Being indecisive."

"Being indecisive? Is that really so scary?" He looked away after that, just like the girl had.

It was as if Sora held nothing of interest to them, or as if they didn't want anyone to see them talking to him. And it was scaring Sora beyond belief. Sora hesitantly moved backward. He had this place memorized. He knew all the pathways, the trees, docks, and the plants... the whole island by heart. So he headed straight for the way off of that platform, but instead bumped into yet another one of the kids from the island.

This one was pretty tall, with hair that seemed loaded with gel to keep it vertical. He was fiddling around with something similar to a volleyball, spinning it around on one finger and watching its movement intently. But when Sora bumped into him, the boy's attention turned from his ball to Sora's nervous figure. As Sora was about to apologize for bumping into him, the boy spoke, his voice just as loud and clear as the two kids before him.

"What do you want outta life?" he asked, somewhat casually.

By now, Sora had decided it was best not to argue with the voice's will. The quickest way out of this dream, this nightmare, this premonition, was probably to answer all the questions. Sora straightened so he was looking straight into this kid's eyes, and tried to think without flinching. It took him a while, but he finally came up with an answer.

"To see rare sights."

"To see rare sights, huh?" It looked like the kid was going to laugh at his answer, and to Sora's extreme surprise, the boy didn't look away as though he'd lost interest. This kid's eyes lingered amusedly on Sora's face, until finally turning away as though he had to go off and laugh by himself. Sora almost grew angry, and was about to step forward to smack him one, when he found that his feet were glued to the floor.

_Your adventure begins at midday._

The voice!

_Keep a steady pace and you'll come through fine._

Sora was confused. What was that supposed to mean? Midday? His adventure?

_The day you will open the door is both far off and very near._

The door? Did it mean the door that he'd seen on the other platform? The one that he wasn't allowed to enter? Sora was suddenly blinded by a great white light, and stumbled forward as he waited for it to dim. When it did, Sora found himself somewhere else, on another one of those stained glass platforms that floated in the darkness. Sora's footfalls became steady as he crossed the platform. He examined the image on the surface.

Another girl. Long blonde hair, wearing a blue dress. She seemed to be asleep, but was surrounded by thorny vines. Sora moved across, still examining the picture, when a beam of light shot down onto the girl's face. Sora looked up to where the light seemed to be coming from, then walked over to where it seemed to be pointing. Yet as he reached it, he found himself surrounded by the little black creatures from before. The sword appeared suddenly in his hand as Sora ran toward the first one in his reach and slashed at it ferociously until it disappeared into a burst of black fire. The rest of the shadow creatures huddled together as they began what seemed to be some kind of group charge. Sora could hardly help but smirk as three wide swings of his sword defeated the entire group at once.

He straightened, confident now that all the little shadows were gone. Sora turned his attention back to the beam of light, but this time it had moved. It was no longer on the girl's face. It had moved downward, and then created a circle imprint on the floor. The outline looked like white fire, ever burning and seeming to grow stronger all the time. Sora ran toward it, dropping to his knees as he reached it. He stretched one hand into the circle, and, feeling nothing out of the ordinary, stepped inside it. He was starting to think that he was on some kind of training mission. Either that or a wild goose chase.

As he stood there, waiting for the voice to speak up again before he forgot about it, the beam of light moved again. This time it went all the way over the edge, and as soon as it did so, a series of square stained-glass platforms appeared, making a sort of stairway up to another place. Sora was pretty sure that it was another stained-glass image platform. He looked around, and seeing that there was nothing more to do on that platform, he ran toward the stairway and hurried up it, careful not to slip and fall into the pit of darkness that surrounded him on all sides.

The brilliant yellow glow of this particular platform was the first thing that Sora saw. And there, right in the middle, just like all the other platforms before it, was a girl. A brunette this time, wearing a beautiful, expensive looking yellow dress. She was quite the beauty, but just behind her was the face of a horrible beast. Yet, both of them looked quite peaceful - neither of them seemed afraid or angry. Forming a circle around them were the silhouettes of various household items; candelabrums, clocks, and even several items from a tea set.

Sora pushed the thoughts out of his mind and looked for that beam of light. He found it just above the center of the platform. He smiled slightly as he stepped toward it, curious now, as it wasn't running away. He stopped right underneath the light and gazed up at where it seemed to come from. And then the voice that he'd been waiting for made its presence known.

_The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes._

He was no longer sure if the voice was being cryptic or literal. Though confusion reigned over him, Sora slowly turned around to look at his shadow. Sure enough, there it was. Darker than he'd ever seen it before, and reaching all the way from the center of the circular platform to the very edge. His shadow turned slightly to face him, adjusting itself so that it looked like it was lying down on the floor, so it was looking Sora straight in the eye.

Sora's heart stopped for a second. He hadn't done that.

Then suddenly, the shadow began to pull itself up out of the floor. Sora stepped back in alarm, staring as it began to change its shape. It had at first looked just like him, but now its hair stretched out to look like black tentacles reaching out from its scalp, some of which chose to wrap themselves around the creature's head. Two eyes began to glow yellow from deep within the mask of dark tentacles. Its fingers stretched and sharpened into sharp black claws. Its feet became smaller, curving inward as you followed it to the toe. Sora stepped slowly backwards.

_But don't be afraid._

A giant heart-shaped hole had appeared in his chest area. Sora could see right through the creature. The shadow had grown to immense proportions. It loomed over Sora, dark and menacing, staring down at him with glowing yellow eyes. Sora took small steps backward, one hand held slightly upward, hoping that it would see that he didn't want to fight it. But somehow, Sora felt that he was about to.

_ And don't forget.._

Sora's eyes widened in fear as the creature completed itself. He stumbled backwards, gasping in terror, trying to escape. He ran, still staring over his shoulder at the giant shadow creature. It was just standing there, as if it were waiting. Sora continued to run, but nearly slipped over the edge. He'd forgotten. There was no way out. He was on a large circular platform floating in blackness. Where could he possibly run? He began to teeter on the edge of the platform, but thankfully managed to shift his weight back onto the platform. A look of despair appeared on his face. Sora swallowed hard and spun around to face the creature. He had no choice but to fight it. He stared up at the monster as it straightened itself to its full height.

It... was... huge.

He gripped the sword tight in his hands, then ran toward the shadow. Its gigantic frame grew as he came closer, becoming more and more frightening as he approached. But Sora had learned a long time ago how to swallow his fear. Sora ran at the nearest available limb of the creature - its right hand. Unfortunately for Sora, the hand seemed to be creating a purple energy sphere. Its first attack, evidently. Sora didn't care. Sora followed the hand at all costs, even when the creature raised it into the air and then slammed it onto the platform. The purple energy disappeared as a black patch formed underneath its palm.

The hand was resting on the ground. An opening! Sora leapt into the air, sword raised, and began to swing wildly at it. His swings didn't seem to do anything to the creature, but Sora had to keep trying. He slashed the fingers and the palm furiously, and followed that hand everywhere it went. He wouldn't let it get away from him.

Suddenly, Sora felt a sharp pain at his back. He spun around and saw some of the little creatures from before surrounding him. So that's what the giant had been doing; pulling little helpers out of the platform. Sora slashed at them too, pushing them further away from him, then returned to the Black Hand. Sora leapt at it when it was high above his head, and swung his sword at it with all his strength when it was level with him. He didn't think about the little black creatures, though they were attacking him from behind and weakening the ferocity of his attacks on the giant hand. It seemed to be luck that they moved themselves in the way of his sword and were attacked as well. And every time they disappeared, Sora felt his energy return.

Eventually, all the small shadows had vanished, but the giant had other means of attack. From the heart-shaped hole in the being's chest appeared a huge glowing sphere of purple energy. Even through his alarm, Sora didn't stop attacking the beast. Even when the energy sphere shattered into pieces and all those pieces came after him, Sora did not hesitate in his blitz. Even though every muscle in his body had told him to run, he had merely jumped into the air in order to keep his attacks rolling.

He was starting to think that this battle was getting to be hopeless. He switched his focus from hand to foot and back to the hand. Nothing seemed to be working. The giant continued slamming his fist into the floor, making it rumble to the point where Sora would almost lose his footing. The giant didn't even seem to notice that it was being attacked at all. And that's when Sora remembered. The creature's face! He'd heard something before about how the face would always be the weakest point on a fighter's body, since the muscles in the face couldn't be built no matter what kind of training was endured. Sora jumped up onto the creature's arm and began to run up toward the monster's face, clutching the sword tightly in his grip.

"Hey, _ugly_!" he yelled furiously as he reached the monster's head. "Your _face _is _wide open_!!"

He screeched to a halt in front of the monster's face. The head began to move slightly, acknowledging Sora's presence. He raised his sword high into the air and then swung the sword swiftly downwards, the blade slicing across the giant's face, right between the eyes. The creature roared in fury; Sora had won.

Sora slid down the monster's arm, planted his feet firmly on the stain glass platform and then spun around to face it. He moved quickly backward, away from the creature for the first time. He had won, but the giant hadn't disappeared yet. It was still standing there, still looming over him. Sora clutched the sword tighter in his hands, waiting for something to happen, when the sword suddenly vanished with a white light. He gasped in shock - he was weaponless! And the monster was still alive! Sora wanted to run, but he remembered where he was - a circular platform. Even so, he had to get away from the giant shadow monster. Even just being out of its reach would be enough.

He leapt backward again when the creature lashed out at him, swinging one mighty hand in an attempt to knock him off the platform. The shadow slammed his other hand down onto the platform as well, causing a great rumble in the ground beneath Sora's feet. The creature had fallen to its knees, and was glaring at Sora with those glowing yellow eyes.

Sora's knees suddenly gave way, and he tumbled and fell onto the ground. Sora felt all his fear return. He was powerless. He couldn't swallow the fear anymore. It felt like he was going to throw all of his terror up. He stared up at the creature, terrified, still trying to get away even though he was sitting on the ground. Sora kicked his feet, pushing at the ground to help him get away, when suddenly he felt a familiar texture on his hands and legs. He risked taking a glance at the floor and was horrified by what he saw. It was one of those dark patches from the blue platform! One had formed underneath him! His heart began to race, feeling like it was going to burst from his chest.

The monster stared down at Sora, its yellow eyes gleaming as though everything had gone according to its plan. He squirmed under the giant's gaze. Those horrible glowing yellow eyes…

_-- But don't be afraid._

Too late.

Sora tried to escape from the dark blotch that was below him, but this patch was different. Instead of slowly pulling him under like quicksand, it was reaching up to him with dark tentacle like things and holding him down. Along with its black tendrils was something that resembled black fire and smoke, curling around his limbs and holding Sora down just as firmly as the tendrils. The smoke and tendrils first began to wrap around Sora's legs, engulfing them in darkness. They seemed to hold him tightly; it felt like a series of cold, soft hands had taken hold of him. Sora struggled under the feeling of it. He clenched his teeth, holding back a yell of frustration and terror.

The monster was still there, still glaring at him, but doing nothing more than that. Its malicious glowing eyes burned holes into Sora. Sora's mind raced. He could do nothing more than to stare back at the monster, but… that malicious stare…

Suddenly, the creature raised itself so it was standing almost upright. As though it was planning to do something. Like delivering a final blow.

_You hold the mightiest weapon of all._

The voice seemed to be trembling.

Sora had finally managed to roll onto his stomach, even though those dark tendrils had wrapped around his entire torso. He tried to crawl over and grab the edge of the platform, but it wasn't working. He could barely gain more than a few inches. He stretched his arm out, but his hand couldn't reach the edge. Then the dark tentacles and the black fire began to grab hold of that hand. Now all of Sora's limbs had been caught by that dark stuff. There was nothing more he could do.

_So don't forget:... _

The voice was definitely shaking.

He found himself slowly starting to sink into the dark patch as the tentacles began to engulf him. Sora turned around, checking to see if the giant shadow beast was still there. His blue eyes widened and his jaw dropped when he saw it there, still looming over him. It was leaning downward as though it was going to crush Sora with its body. Sora's eyes were wide in terror, begging for mercy. No. He didn't want to die here. Not here. Not in this bizarre place. No. Never here. Anywhere but here.

Black tendrils of fire and smoke reached up and began to wrap around Sora's face.

_'Cold… and dark… so dark…'_

_You are the one... who will open the door._

* * *

The sound of water crashing on the beach shore had slowly filled his senses. He opened his eyes and stared up at the blue sky. The large white clouds rolled lazily across the wide blue expanse. He shielded his eyes from the sun as he stared up. It looked like it was midday, but he couldn't really tell.

_'The sky's so blue today...'_

He switched his attention from the sky to whatever was lying in front of him. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and propped himself up with his hands. It was the ocean. A great expanse of beautiful blue ocean lying out before him. No mainland in sight. He smiled sleepily and yawned, then laid himself back down to get some more sleep. He lay down, finding himself suddenly lying in some shade. He lazily opened his eyes and looked up. His view of the sky was obstructed by a girl.

"Whoa!"

He sat straight up, all his chains jingling at the sudden movement. Still on his knees, he turned himself around to face his friend, his exposed knees rubbing against the beach sand. Both friends began to laugh at each other.

"Gimme a break Kairi."

Kairi giggled, tucking a loose tuft of her short crimson hair behind her ear, and then stared straight into her companion's face, still grinning as though she knew that he'd done something wrong. Her ocean-colored eyes were still laughing as she spoke to him in a tone that sounded just like a mother's.

"Sora, you lazy bum. I knew that I'd find you _snoozing _down here."

Then she turned away, as if she were shunning him for his wrong doing, her nose lifted snobbishly in the air. She looked back at Sora out of the corner of her eye, waiting for him to laugh at her imitation.

"No! This huge, black _thing_ swallowed me up!" Sora began to explain. The adrenaline had suddenly begun to run through his body, just like it had at the end of his dream. He tried his best to recall everything he'd seen, every detail, his blue eyes burning through the ground as he struggled to find words to explain. "I couldn't breathe, I couldn't --"

A hand dropped onto the top of his head. "Ow!" Sora raised one hand and rubbed his new bruise.

"Are you still dreaming?" Kairi laughed, dropping the false mom act. She leaned forward and stared straight into Sora's face.

"It wasn't a dream!" Sora protested. But his words caught in his throat. "Or... was it? I don't know..." Sora looked down at the sand, suddenly confused. Had it really been just a dream? But it had all felt so real… He then looked over his shoulder, toward the ocean, as though its deep depths held the answer to all his questions.

"What _was _that place?" he murmured, mostly to himself. "So bizarre..."

"Yeah sure." Sora looked up at Kairi in surprise and slight dismay. She didn't believe him...?

Kairi had given up making fun of Sora - for now. She walked casually toward the shoreline, and stopped just a few inches from where the water receded from the shore. Kairi looked up at the sky at first, gazing at the white clouds as they rolled by. And then she turned to stare out to the horizon, as though she also believed that there was some big secret out there that she just had to know about.

Sora turned his attention toward her. "Say, Kairi. What was your hometown like? You know, where you grew up."

He shifted his position so he was no longer kneeling in the sand (the texture was starting to hurt his knees) and turned slightly so that he was still facing Kairi. He propped himself up with his arms, his gaze never drifting far from her.

She smiled at the question. "I've told you before, I don't remember."

"Nothing at all?" Sora sounded suspicious, and almost doubtful of her answer.

"Nothing." Kairi had answered as if it didn't bother her one bit.

"You ever wanna go back?"

"Mmm... Well, I'm happy here." Kairi's smile deepened as the words came out.

"Really..." He was still doubtful. Sora finally looked away from Kairi and stared out over the horizon, just like she was.

"But you know," Kairi continued with a small giggle, "I wouldn't mind going to see it." She smiled at the thought.

"I'd like to see it too," Sora replied, fixing his gaze back on Kairi and resting one arm on his knee. He grinned at his thoughts. "Along with any other worlds out there. I wanna see 'em all!"

Kairi giggled as she turned to face her friend with a nod. "So what're we waiting for?"

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about me?"

Both Sora and Kairi turned around. There, standing with a log tucked under one arm, was another boy. He was taller than both Sora and Kairi. He had shoulder length silver hair, that stuck out just about everywhere (but in the most stylish manner) and green eyes that were almost neon in color. He was well built for a fifteen-year-old, and held the thick log as though it were nothing. Sora grinned. He'd known this guy since... well, as far back as he could remember. He and Riku had grown up together.

"So," Riku continued with a shake of his head, "I guess I'm the only one working on the raft."

Riku glanced at Sora with a slight smile, and tossed the log to him as he walked over to Kairi. Sora yelled in surprise as he tried to catch it... and failed miserably. Riku laughed slightly then looked right at Kairi, straight into her innocent blue-green eyes.

"And you're just as lazy as _he _is," Riku finished, accusing Kairi as he motioned toward Sora.

Sora made a face at Riku as he pulled the log closer to him.

Kairi giggled. She put one hand behind her head in an embarrassed gesture, and feigned a wince as Riku spoke. "So you noticed," she laughed, a sheepish grin spreading across her face. "Okay, we'll finish it together! I'll race you!"

"Huh?!"

Sora had seated himself on top of Riku's log, and looked up at Kairi as though she were the craziest person he'd ever met in his entire life. There was no way he was going to race both Riku and Kairi after he'd just woken up.

Riku had also seated himself down in the sand next to Sora. And then, as though Riku had read Sora's thoughts, he yelled out, exhausted from the work that he'd been doing all day - alone, as it turned out. He rolled his green eyes so he was looking up at Kairi, the only one still standing.

"What, are you kidding?"

Kairi paid no attention to their protests, and merely laughed at their expense. She then cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. "Ready, _go_!"

The two boys exchanged glances, then suddenly leapt to their feet and began to run along the shoreline as fast as they could. Riku looked over at Sora, his face filled with laughter. Sora, on the other hand, looked absolutely determined to beat Riku at this race. Riku almost laughed at Sora's seriousness, and finally looked straight ahead. If Sora was going to try to win, then so was he. Kairi laughed the entire run across the beach, bringing up the rear of the so-called "race". She couldn't stop laughing at them as she made her way toward the "boat ruins" on the other side of the island. Both Riku and Sora were way ahead of her, the two of them being neck in neck.

Sora finally looked over at Riku. The two boys looked at each other as they ran for a moment, and then suddenly, both grinned at each other, as though there was some kind of joke just the two of them shared, and then continued their race. Sora's grin grew even bigger, the mysterious dream pushed out of his thoughts. Then both boys looked back at Kairi, both of them grinning, and began to call out her name and urge her to run faster.

There was only this moment. This eternal summer that had been granted to the three of them in the form of an island paradise. There was only now. There was no door. No darkness. No mysterious voice. This place...

These were the Destiny Islands.

The passage to Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I wrote and described everything under the assumption that _nobody _knows who these characters are, so please do your best to forgive any poor descriptions. I have this policy that, when I write, when a character is introduced, the characters' names are not to be revealed until somebody in the story says it. So for example, even if you know that the small mouse with the perfectly round ears wearing the red shorts and big yellow shoes is Mickey Mouse, I won't say his name until somebody says, "Mickey!" or if he introduces himself. 

Um... yeah. Just so that nobody gets annoyed when I ramble about what a character looks like and you're just like, "I KNOW! IT'S DONALD DUCK!" :P

So how's that for a prologue? Originally, this is all I had written. But I was prompted by a friend to continue, and I subsequently began to write... the whole thing. Like I said... there are few as crazy as I am. Still a work in progress. :) Please review and comment! And look forward to the next installments! Please?


	2. Destiny Islands

**_Kingdom Hearts_**_  
__by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence ofall of thisgoes to all the hard workers at Disney andSquare-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1  
Destiny Islands**

"So, can you gather the rest of the supplies?" Kairi asked Sora, putting her hands behind her back and giving him her sweetest smile.

He blinked, confused. What? Sora put one hand behind his head, looking up into the tree branches as he tried to remember what it was that Kairi was talking about.

Her face twisted ever so slightly in anger. She leaned forward, getting up into Sora's face, her meanest, angriest face having replaced her smile. "Sora, are you listening to me?"

Sora looked back into her face, blinked once or twice, and then smiled, letting out a light, care free laugh. "Sorry, what was that again?"

Kairi's face twisted as to make herself look meaner (though it didn't work very well), then let out an exasperated sigh. She shook her head sadly at Sora. "Geez. We can't build a raft without materials right?"

She then took a few steps forward and began to pace back and forth as though she was a general in the army, giving orders out to the soldiers. Sora sighed helplessly. He crossed his arms behind his head and smiled at Kairi.

"Here's what we need." She then faced Sora and began to list, using her fingers to number them. "Two logs. One cloth. One rope." Kairi smiled again, putting her hands behind her once again. "Bring everything back here. If you need help, just ask." She then winked at Sora and gave him a thumbs up. "I'm counting on you!"

Sora nodded in reply and began to hurry away. Kairi smiled as she called after him.

"No more slacking, okay?"

He could've laughed at how military like she had seemed, not to mention the motherly call that had come after. But now was no time for that. He had to hurry up and find all those supplies for the raft. What had been the first?

His footsteps slowed as his eye caught on something jutting out of the sand by the edge of the water. One log. Sora grinned and walked toward it, bending over to scoop it up into his hands. His grin widened as he tucked the log under one arm.

"One log down, one more to go!" Sora said aloud with a laugh as he raced away to find the rest of the materials.

The entire layout of the Destiny Island was embedded in Sora's memory so well, that he knew exactly where to find all of Kairi's demanded supplies. Right smack in the middle of the island was a large tree that was, in most places, hollow. They had built a series of wooden platforms all around it, jutting out of the side of the tree. There were two levels of platforms, connected by a wooden ladder. The top level had a railing around it so as to prevent anyone from falling from it.

The cloth was in the hollow of the tree that had been made as a hideout for when it rained and they didn't want to stay in the shack that they had built on the beach. Sora climbed up the various ladders to reach the hollow. Nobody was inside, so obviously no one was going to need the cloth. He pulled the white cloth down from the wall and wrapped it around the log.

"Hmm," Sora murmured aloud as he turned the cloth into a simple bag. "Why did we ever put a piece of cloth up here in the first place?"

Sora shrugged, turning on his heel and heading back outside of the hollow. He slid down the ladder and jumped down from the first level platform to the ground. But as he did so, he misjudged the distance from the edge of the rock and ended up slipping on some moss and falling face first into the sand. Sora pulled his face out of the sand, spitting out the grains that ended up in his mouth and wiping them off his face.

"Wow, that was a real spill, ya?"

He turned around to face the speaker, rising slowly to his feet. There stood one of the boys from his dream. He stood with his volleyball tucked under one arm, putting his weight all on one leg, giving him an almost cocky stance as he smiled at Sora. Sora found it surreal to be seeing him now after the strange dream he'd had. He shook his head slightly to the side and then grinned at him.

"Hey Wakka," he replied, reaching for the log and cloth that had landed a ways away from him. He put the log back into the makeshift bag and threw it over one shoulder.

Wakka grinned and pointed at the cloth and log. "What's that for?"

"It's for our raft," Sora replied with a smile. "Kairi's orders," he added with a wink.

Wakka laughed heartily, throwing his head back. "I won't ask any _more,_ then. I know how the girls are. They think they own the island or somethin', ya?" He tossed his volleyball up into the air then caught it on one finger. He then gave Sora a mischievous look, his smile deepening.

"So… You up for a round?" He held out a wooden sword for Sora and winked.

Sora laughed lightly, taking the wooden sword from Wakka and dropping the log and cloth on the ground near a rock. He was kind ofin a hurry, but...how could he turn down a challenge from Wakka?

"Sure, let's play."

"Play is for kids," Wakka told him. "This is serious!"

Sora smiled, crossing the sand so that he and Wakka stood opposite of each other, dragging the sword as to make a line in the sand. Wakka moved toward his position on the beach as well. He laughed from the other side, and yelled, "Show me your stuff!"

With that, Wakka threw his volleyball toward Sora, who merely moved out of the way, propping his wooden sword up on one shoulder. He laughed at Wakka, who had to run over and pick up his ball before he could resume. Sora stood ready to receive, having figured out a way to "help" Wakka with getting that ball of his back.

As Wakka spun around on his heel, ready to serve the ball again, Sora grinned. "Gimme your best shot!"

"Oh, you're gonna eat those words, Sora!" Wakka yelled, rearing back and throwing the ball with all his might.

Sora struck the ball right back at Wakka with his sword, who yelled in alarm as the ball headed straight back for him. The ball flew right back into his hands, but the impact had sent Wakka into a state of confusion. Dizzy and disoriented, he began to throw the ball randomly in the air. Sora shouted out as one just missed his head. He then grinned, picking the ball up. He tossed it straight up into the air, and, using his sword as if it was a baseball bat, smacked the ball straight toward Wakka. The ball hit Wakka right in the chest this time and knocked him off his feet.

Sora gasped, throwing the sword into the sand and hurried toward Wakka. "Aw, man, are you okay!"

Wakka grinned up at Sora dizzily. "Man, that really _hurt_," he murmured with a smile, admitting defeat. He recovered quickly, shaking the dizziness off and getting back up onto his feet. He laughed lightly and held his hand out toward Sora. "That was a good match, ya?"

Sora sighed with relief and shook Wakka by the hand. "Yeah, great match!"

"Still no match for Riku though, ya?" Wakka said, taking his hand back.

Sora's smile faded slightly at the words. "Yeah, I guess not." He pushed the thought away as he picked up the wooden sword and tucked into his belt. He turned and grinned at Wakka as he continued on his little mission to gather stuff for the raft. "See ya later, Wakka!"

_Still not good enough to beat Riku, huh?_

The next item Kairi had asked for was a rope. He knew where he could find one of those.

At the edge of the island there was another large tree. It was half on the island and half in the water. It wasn't as big as the one in the center of the island, nor was it hollow. Because of that, they'd built a platform in the big depression between the branches. It too, had a small railing on the sides. Nobody wanted to end up falling into shallow water. But to reach the platform, one had to climb up the ladder. It wasn't an extremely long ladder, but it was most certainly one of the longest on the island.

Sora jumped back up onto the gravel platform and headed toward that area. He knew for sure that he'd find a rope there. With the log wrapped in the cloth hanging over one shoulder, Sora grabbed hold of the rungs and began to climb the ladder as quickly as he could. He scrambled over onto the wooden platform and headed toward the flat that they had built there.

It was when he was standing in the center of that wide platform that Sora realized. This was where he had been in his dream. This was where he had been interviewed. His eyes grew wide as he remembered seeing the three of them, and their strange, hard, cold eyes…

He shook the memory off and headed for the rope that he could see lying on the ground just in front of him. Sora grabbed the rope and tucked it into the bag, then spun around on one heel. He was shocked to find Tidus up on the platform as well. He was practicing swinging around that red stick of his.

It was weird seeing him right after the dream as well, just as it had been with Wakka. There he was, with his shorts that were longer on one leg than the other and his yellow and white jacket. Sora grinned.

"Hey!"

Tidus stopped swinging for a moment and turned around slowly to look at Sora. He wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled, running a hand through his spiky dirty blonde hair.

"Hey Sora!" Tidus's grin widened even more as he clutched the red staff in his hands, a challenging look coming over his face. "You feel lucky today?"

Sora laughed, throwing the materials he'd gathered over his shoulder. "Not now, Tidus, maybe some other time."

Tidus made a face. "Come on, Sora, be a man!"

"Hey, I'm kinda busy right now," Sora replied with a sigh. "I'm on a mission. Kairi's orders."

Tidus laughed at that, folding his arms over his chest, a mocking gleam in his eye. "Oh, so it's like that, huh?"

Sora cast a death glance over at Tidus, which soon turned into a lopsided smile. "Tomorrow, okay? I promise!" He then spun on his heel as he resumed his little mission. Tidus cupped his hands over his mouth and called after him, "Why would you want to cross the ocean? Sword fightsbeat that _any_ day!"

He laughed at the comment, casting one final glance in Tidus's direction, and then slid down the ladder as quickly as he could. He was just about to head back to Kairi when he caught sight of Selphie sitting at the edge of the dock. Sora grinned mischievously to himself as he quietly snuck up behind her, doing his best not to make the wooden planks of the dock creak. She wasn't very far in front of him now. Just a few more steps. Sora's grin deepened as he got ready to grab her by the shoulders…

"Don't… even."

His face fell as she turned around, her short auburn hair swishing into her face, with a happy little grin on her face. "Hey, Sora!" she chirped happily. "What're you up to these days? We never see you."

Sora shrugged helplessly, adjusting his hold on the cloth bag. "We've been busy."

Selphie frowned slightly, putting on her puppy dog face.

"Come on, tell me what you're planning," she said somewhat sadly. And then suddenly her face changed, her eyes growing slightly wide and her gaze switching from Sora's face to a blank stare. "Actually, never mind." She looked back up at Sora and smiled. "I'll find out on my own."

He could hardly help but laugh. "Alright then, Selph. Catch ya later!" Sora jumped down from the dock into the sandy beach. He turned around slightly and winked. "Off to do some 'top secret' business!"

Selphie's face twisted angrily. "Hey, no fair!"

Sora's laughter echoed down the beach as he headed back toward where Kairi was waiting for him, the bag of materials bouncing on his shoulder as he ran. He hopped up toward Kairi, holding the bag out for her. She turned to look at him from where she was leaning against the doorway and smiled. "Hey, that was quick! Thanks, Sora."

She took the bag from him with both hands and peered inside, making sure of the contents. "Let's see, what's still missing?" Her face brightened as she remembered, her head snapping upward and her gaze turning back to Sora. "One more log!"

Sora sighed. "One more log?"

Kairi smiled. "That's right! Come on, Sora, I'm counting on you!"

How could he refuse her when she put it that way? "Alright, I'll find it."

He spun around and walked back onto the beach, toward the shack. One more log? Where could he find another log…? He smiled as the memory returned to him. Sora pushed open the door of the shack and hurried up the stairs. After all, there was nothing inside that shack except for those stairs. He pushed open the door at the top and stumbled back outside. Here, there was a bridge that led over to a part of the island that stuck up out of the water like a plateau. It wasn't too far off from the main part of the island. It was even still perfectly connected to the rest of the island. But they liked to consider it as this unusual little dot on the side of it, since it was separated by some water.

He was almost sure that he'd seen a log here before. Sora hurried across the wooden bridge and grinned as he caught sight of the log sitting near the edge. He hurried over toward it, but just as he was about to grab hold of it, he heard a voice coming from behind him.

"Hey, Sora!"

He turned slowly around and saw Riku sitting on the trunk of one of the trees. The tree was bent over, so it was perfect to relax on. They were never able to figure out what happened to it that it made it swerve the way it did, but no one ever complained. It was the perfect seat. And there Riku sat, one knee pulled up close to him and his arms propping him up in his sitting position. "Did you get everything we need for the raft? I already gave my stuff to Kairi."

Sora smiled and straightened to his full height. "Well, I just need this last log."

Riku grinned. "That can wait a little while longer. How about a quick round?"

Suddenly Sora remembered what Wakka had said earlier about Riku. And something inside him began to boil over. Sora's smile turned slightly vicious as he grabbed onto the hilt of his wooden sword.

"Okay, you're on!"

"This one decides the champion!" Riku said with a grin.

Riku hopped down from his seat on the bent tree trunk. He and Sora glared at each other as they headed toward the center of the plateau, swords in hand. They stood facing each other, Sora already in his battle stance, his sword gripped with two hands. Riku stood as cocky as ever, still fiddling with his sword slightly, tapping the edge of it into the palm of his left hand. His smile deepened as he watched Sora with his green eyes.

"Ready or not!" he taunted.

Sora could feel himself shake slightly. He wasn't sure if it was rage or fear, but he could feel the blood pumping in his ears. All he could hear were Wakka's words, repeating over and over. It felt like both a challenge and a curse. And all Sora knew at that moment was that he did _not _like the idea of always having to be second best to Riku.

He clenched the sword tightly between his hands and watched Riku's every move very carefully. Riku made the first move. He leapt high into the air and landed right behind Sora. Sora's eyes widened and he hurried out of the way as Riku got ready to swing his sword. Sora ran forward as Riku took his swing, missing him only slightly. Sora took advantage and hurried right back, charging at Riku with his sword, swinging the wood with all his might. But Riku was just too quick. He swung his sword backhand, as though it was a tennis racket, countering Sora's blow. Sora gritted his teeth at the backlash of the countermove. He refused to give in.

He swung his sword again, this time lower. Once again, Riku countered his move. But this time, Sora had been ready for it. He kept the sword's movement going and brought the sword back into an overhead swing. It struck Riku on his shoulder. Riku grunted in pain, stepping back slightly. Unfortunately for Sora, Riku was quick to recover. Riku swung his sword toward Sora, managing to scratch at the material of Sora's jacket as he jumped away.

Sora backed up slightly, then turned on his heel and ran to get some distance between them. The two then faced each other, the tips of their swords pointed at each other as they circled. Sora gritted his teeth and launched himself forward, swinging at Riku furiously. Riku blocked every one of his moves. He smiled.

"You still don't got it," he said with a short chuckle as he pushed Sora back.

He could hardly stand to hear the words. Sora narrowed his eyes at Riku as he got ready to charge again. Sora ran straight for Riku, his sword ready. Riku only smiled at the charge, already set to deliver another blow. But as Riku took his swing, Sora jumped up and over Riku's head, turning slightly in the air, and struck Riku in the back.

Riku stumbled forward, shocked. He looked over at Sora, his eyes wide in surprise. Sora could hardly help but smile. His smile seemed almost malicious. "Come on," he taunted, pleased with himself.

Riku smiled back, turning around. "Now it's _my_ turn."

Sora gritted his teeth and clutched his wooden sword tightly in his hands. He didn't like the way Riku had said that. It sounded mocking. And then his ears began to roar with the sound of Wakka's voice, telling him that he would always be second best to Riku. Sora charged forward and jumped over Riku's head. Sora spun in mid-air and struck him again, but this time Riku turned around so that he fell onto his back. And as Sora planted both feet on the ground and spun to face Riku, he ended up with an unpleasant Chinese get-up kick to the gut, which ended up knocking Sora off the plateau and into the water below.

Sora surfaced with a loud gasp for air.

"Still not enough, Sora!" Riku called from above. "You still need a little more training!"

Sora's face fell as he pulled himself out of the water and began to climb the ladder back up to the top of the plateau. Riku grabbed Sora's jacket and helped pull him back topside. They looked each other full in the face for a long, silent moment before they both burst out laughing. Riku pulled Sora into a headlock and gave him a friendly noogie before releasing him and they both continued to laugh out loud. As soon as they had calmed down, Sora tossed the wooden sword to one side and plopped down into a cross-legged sitting position. He then looked up into the sky and sighed.

"Man… now the score's zero to one," Sora sighed.

Riku grinned. "Better luck next time," he told him, giving Sora a pat on the back. He then reached over and picked up the log, holding it out for Sora. "Here. Better get this back to Kairi, huh?"

Sora gazed at the log and grabbed it hesitantly. He looked up at Riku and smiled to cover up his disappointment. "Yeah, I'd better."

As Sora rose to his feet and headed back to Kairi, Riku seated himself back on the trunk of the bent over tree. He watched Sora intently as he jumped from the bridge to the beach below and ran to where Kairi was still waiting. He then turned away and chuckled slightly to himself.

Sora handed the log over to Kairi and then continued to squeeze the water out of his shorts and jacket. Kairi took the log from him and tilted her head to one side. "What happened to you?"

He looked over at her and smiled. "Nothing, don't worry about it."

Kairi smiled knowingly, one eyebrow raised. "You and Riku went at it again, didn't you?"

He froze and said nothing. He merely grunted in response. That girl was awfully perceptive sometimes. Kairi shrugged it off and put one hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Thanks, Sora!" She then began to reach into her pocket. "I found something today, too. Here, it's yours." She grabbed Sora's hand and put a bottle labeled "Hi-Potion" into his palm. "Considering your little spat with Riku today, I guess you're gonna need it."

Sora smiled slightly and put it away. "Thanks, Kairi."

Kairi smiled, putting her hands behind her back. "Tired? Want to call it a day?"

"Yeah, let's go home," Sora said with a stretch.

"Okay," Kairi replied with a slight giggle. "It _is_ getting late. We'll finish up tomorrow."

* * *

The three sat together watching the sun set from the plateau, as they usually did before returning home. Kairi and Sora were seated on the trunk of the bent over tree, while Riku leaned against the base. They merely sat and gazed at the horizon as the clouds and ocean turned orange and red as the sun began to vanish beneath the waves, each of them lost in their thoughts. 

Sora was the first to speak.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" he asked, turning to look at his friends.

Kairi smiled to herself, continuing to look into the sunset, swinging her legs back and forth as they waited for Riku to answer. His eyes were set firmly on the vision of the setting sun, his arms folded over his chest. There wasn't even a hint of a smile on his face. He didn't even look at his friends as he answered.

"Could be. We'll never know by staying here."

"But how far could a _raft_ take us?" Sora prompted, leaning forward a bit more.

"Who knows?" Riku said with a slight gesture of his hand. He folded his arms once again. "If we have to, we'll think of something else."

"So, suppose you get to another world," Kairi began with a giggle. "What would you do there?"

"Hmm. Well, I haven't really thought about it," he answered haltingly, still refusing to look at either Kairi or Sora. "It's just…"

Sora turned his attention back to the sunset, rocking back and forth as he sat on the tree trunk. The whole raft thing had been Riku's idea in the first place. Though Sora was curious to hear what Riku had to say, he decided that if Riku didn't want to look them in the face as he spoke, then he didn't really want to either.

"I've always wondered why we're here, on _this_ island," Riku continued. "If there _are_ any other worlds out there, why did _we_ end up on _this_ one? And, suppose there _are_ other worlds… Then ours is just a little piece of something_ much _greater. So, we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Riku turned to look over at them for the first time. Sora turned slightly, looking over at Riku out of the corner of his eye, then shrugged and leaned back onto the bent tree trunk. He put his arms behind his head and dangled his legs over both sides of the trunk, staring up into the sky where dark blue met orange.

"I don't know," he said nonchalantly.

Kairi looked at Sora, an almost exasperated look on her face. Riku smiled slightly at Sora's reaction and returned his attention to the horizon.

"_Exactly_. That's why we need to go out there and find out." Riku took a few steps forward, his hands dropping down to his sides. His green eyes seemed to glow as they remained fixated on the fiery sunset that had bathed the entire island in an orange glow. "Just sitting here won't change a thing."

As Kairi listened to Riku, she looked up into the sky, smiling and shaking her head slowly from side to side as though she'd heard the story a thousand times. Sora let out a sigh and rolled his head so that he was looking out into the horizon. He still didn't understand Riku very well, after all these years. He was always searching for something bigger, while Sora had always been fairly content with what they had. What difference did any of it make?

"It's the same old stuff," Sora heard him say. "So let's go."

"You've been thinking _a lot _lately, haven't you?" Kairi said, looking over at Riku. The tone in her voice was so solemn that Sora almost wasn't sure whether or not it was really her.

Riku turned around and looked Kairi full in the face. A slight smile crossed his face as he looked at her. "Thanks to _you_."

Sora's eyes widened slightly and his jaw dropped open. His head rolled slowly so that he was looking over at Kairi and Riku. For a moment, he thought he ought to say something, but he couldn't think of a single sensible thing to say. He watched them warily for a moment, and then reluctantly returned his attention to the blazing sunset.

"If you hadn't come here," he could hear Riku continue, "I probably would've never thought of _any_ of this. Kairi, thanks."

Kairi smiled slightly at Riku and nodded. "You're welcome."

Kairi walked in front of them all as they began to walk toward the boats near the dock, ready to head back to the mainland and join their families for dinner. Sora dragged his feet, kicking into the holes between the wooden planks of the bridge. He didn't really feel like going home, but then again he _was_ pretty hungry. Sora looked up at Kairi. What about Kairi? He didn't know much about her home life. He didn't think that she lived with her family anymore. If _that_ was the case, then…

"Sora!"

He turned at the sound of his name, looking back where Riku was. Riku smiled as he tossed a star shaped object at him. Sora managed to catch it clumsily and cradled it in his hands, examining it carefully. It was a yellow star shaped fruit, clearly freshly picked, since parts of the vine was still sticking out from some of its points.

"You wanted one, didn't you?" Riku asked, pointing at it.

"A paopu fruit…?"

He looked up at Riku, confused. He'd wanted one? He couldn't remember ever asking for one. What was Riku thinking?

Riku smiled as he resumed walking. "If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives, _no matter what_."

Sora gazed at the paopu fruit intently, hooked by the story that Riku had just told him. Maybe… he did want one… Riku laughed slightly to himself as he reached the end of the bridge, glancing over his shoulder at Sora.

"C'mon, I know you wanna try it!"

Now maybe it was from the light of the sunset, but Sora's face turned slightly red. "What're you talkin'—"

Riku laughed at Sora, interrupting his sentence as he continued to head toward the docks. Sora looked first at Riku, then at the paopu fruit. Riku's story began to repeat in his head.

'_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined…'_

He stole a glance in Kairi's direction, and then immediately returned his gaze to the fruit.

'_They'll remain a part of each other's lives… No matter what…'_

Sora let out a long breath. It was just a legend. There was no need to get so worked up over a legend about a fruit. Just because it was shaped like a star. It wasn't like that _meant _anything. He slowly shifted the fruit into his right hand, and then, taking one last long look at it, hesitantly tossed it over the edge of the bridge.

'_H-How stupid_,'he thought to himself angrily.

And with that, Sora took off in a run.

* * *

**Author's Note: **End chapter 1. Biggest problem with this chapter: describing the island. Urk, talk about a _chore_. I didn't quite know how to even begin to explain how some of the stuff there is set up. So I hope what I managed to put down worked out all right. 


	3. The Plot Thickens

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

* * *

_**Chapter 2  
The Plot Thickens**_

_Disney Castle_

The castle's towers stretched up toward the sky as though it was reaching for the clouds. The entire castle seemed to glow. The white stone of the castle and the blue tiling on the cone shaped towers glimmered in the brilliant sunlight. The many orange flags that decorated the castles façade, jutting out from the peaks of the towers, flapped in the light morning breeze. The day was just about perfect as usual.

As usual, the court wizard walked down the long hallway toward the throne room, his footfalls falling evenly on the red carpet that stretched all the way to the end of the hall. To his left, the wall was lined with windows that almost reached the high, arched ceiling. Pouring in from the windows was the bright light of the early morning. This was the court wizard's cue to greet the king.

The court wizard was in fact, a short white duck. Atop his head was a purple hat, similar in shape to that of a stereotypical witch. The point was teased into a crude curlicue, and all along the rim of the hat was a thick yellow line. He wore a long sleeved gray-purple shirt, with two golden buttons in the middle of his chest, held securely to his body by a blue-violet belt that went around his waist. Over the long sleeved shirt was a blue cloak, which actually looked something like a short sleeved vest. It had two zippers on the front, leading from both sides of the neck.

He tipped his hat and nodded as he passed by the walking brooms as they scurried down the hall toward the next place that required cleaning. The duck chuckled to himself as he heard them shuffle further and further down the hall. Then suddenly he stopped short, planting both his webbed feet on the ground before turning on his heel to the right, where he stood facing a set of giant purple double doors. On either door was a symbol consisting of three circles, one big circle with two smaller ones attached to the top of it; the king's emblem. The door stretched up in its giant gold lined archway until it reached the ceiling. There was no way for such a small duck to open them.

The court wizard smiled to himself, lifting one loosely clenched fist towards his beak as he cleared his throat. He then knocked on the base of the doors five times, rhythmically, as though to a song that no one else could hear but him. A slight clicking sound was made from the other side of the door as the duck dropped his hand to his side, and a small section of the giant door popped open for the court wizard to step through.

The throne room was huge, able to fit possibly hundreds of guests at a time. But for now, it was empty. The tiled linoleum floors glimmered with their fresh polish, clean and spanking new. The only thing laid out on top of the floor was another long red carpet that stretched all the way from the double doors to the throne. Above the throne was a long red tapestry, outlined in yellow, that once again bore the symbol of the three circles. Intricate carvings in the wall directly behind it outlined the throne. On either side of the wall were statues, one of the court wizard and the other of the captain of the guard; the king's two best friends in the world.

The court wizard walked triumphantly down the length of the carpet, as though he was a soldier returning from war and visiting his great king. He was barely even halfway to the throne when he bowed toward it as he walked, in greeting to his royal highness.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he called out in his duck voice.

He continued his march down the long red carpet. He was going to have to reach the throne if he was to properly greet the king. As he approached the golden throne, the duck smiled to himself and bowed slightly once again. "It's nice to see you this morn – What!"

As the court wizard raised his head to look up at where the king should have been sitting, he realized with great shock and horror that he wasn't there. The court wizard froze. What would he tell the others? The queen, the servants, all the king's friends? Just then, the king's faithful dog popped out from behind the throne, holding something delicately between his teeth. The court wizard looked at the dog, shocked.

"What are you holding there, Pluto?" the duck quacked out as he bent over to take whatever it was from him.

It was a small light green envelope that bore the king's symbol, the three circles. The court wizard carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter within. He slowly unfolded the letter and began to read, his eyes going hurriedly over each line, taking in the meaning behind the writing. The duck blinked once or twice, slowly lowering the letter so that it fell out of his line of vision.

Suddenly, all control over himself lost, the duck spun around and ran out of the throne room, screaming and waving his arms as though the world was about to come to an end. He knew exactly where to go. He had to tell the captain of the guard!

As it happened, the captain of the guard was resting on the lawn of his own little castle. Of course, it wasn't a real castle; it was a model of the entire Disney Castle, which had been shaped out of the large bush that had been growing in the garden. From that castle grew many different flowers, positioned in such a way that they would create a multi-colored spiral with the castle placed in the center of it. The entire circle was separate from the other bush sculptures in the garden, all placed around a large circle. That castle was in the center of the entire garden.

It was on the lawn that the captain of the guard was taking his nap. He was still dressed head to toe in his armor, except for his helmet, which sat on top of his head like a hat since it wasn't able to fit over his dog face. He lay on the flowers with one leg perched on one knee and his arms folded casually behind his head. His mouth would open wide as he slept and snored peacefully in the garden.

Right at that moment, the court wizard rushed in, running in a crooked line toward the captain, still waving his arms like mad (though he had finally stopped screaming). He hopped onto the flowerbed and screeched to a halt next to the captain, waving his arms frantically to maintain his balance.

"Wake up, Goofy, _wake up_!" he screamed, jumping around frantically. "This is _serious_!"

Goofy merely moaned in his sleep and then let out a long slow breath. A carefree smile appeared on his face as he slept. The duck began to grow furious. With a loud scream, he pointed one finger toward the sky, his eyes fixated on Goofy's face, releasing a jolt of lightning into Goofy's body. The zap of electricity finally awoke Goofy, so much so that he just about jumped into the air with a cry of surprise and pain.

He dropped back down into the flowerbed with a loud thud and clangs of metal, his eyes finally opened and looking around. Goofy rubbed his eyes sleepily with one large, gloved hand as he gazed about him, somewhat disoriented. His vision was still somewhat blurred, but it didn't take long for him to recognize the angry face of one of his best friends in the world. He smiled at him sleepily.

"Hey there, Donald," he greeted with a wave. "G'morning."

"We've got a _problem_, Goofy!" Donald told him urgently, waving his arms around in the air. Suddenly he stopped, and looked cautiously to the left and then to the right. He then cupped one hand around his beak and said in a lower voice, "But don't tell _any_one…"

Goofy's eyes went wide. "Queen Minnie?"

Donald put his hands on his hips, raising his beak almost snobbishly in the air. "Not even the _queen_."

Goofy's expression changed slightly as he shifted his gaze. "Daisy?"

The court wizard shook his head furiously from side to side. "_NO_! It's top secret!"

The captain bowed slightly, his gaze having completely shifted away from Donald's face. "G'morning, ladies," he said politely.

Donald froze. "Wh-What?"

He turned slowly around, afraid to see his fears come true. And as he did so, his heart stopped beating for just a moment. For there, standing under one of the many bush archways of the garden, were Queen Minnie and Daisy. Donald swallowed hard as they stared at him and Goofy expectantly, Daisy putting her hands on her hips and narrowing her eyes slightly. She cleared her throat and raised one eyebrow, her gaze fixed exactly on Donald's face.

Goofy turned to look at Donald, somewhat bewildered, as a nervous laugh escaped from Donald's throat.

_

* * *

__Destiny Islands_

Another perfect day in paradise.

Sora hopped up onto the docks from his boat as he put his hands on his hips and breathed in the summer sea breeze. He stretched for a moment and then spun around slightly, staring up at the sky through the leaves of the trees. Sora then heard a voice.

"Hey, Sora!"

He turned to look at the speaker and saw Selphie standing on the edge of the dock. He smiled at her warmly.

"Hey, Selphie."

She smiled back at him and came a bit closer, looking both ways before she began to speak, as though she had some big secret to share with him. She leaned forward slightly as she opened her mouth.

"Have you heard about the legendary power of the paopu fruit?"

Something inside Sora jumped.

"They say if you share it with someone you _really _care for," she continued matter of factly, "it binds you together forever and ever, through _eternity!_" Selphie sighed dreamily, her eyes glazing over as she seemed to forget about Sora's presence. "It's so romantic. I gotta _try_ it sometime."

Sora smiled faintly, putting one hand on her shoulder. "Well, you tell me how that works out, alright?" he told her with a laugh, turning on his heel to go.

There was something mischievous in Selphie's smile as she replied. "Why, are you thinkin' about trying it?"

He began to quicken his step when the words came out of Selphie's mouth. He chose not to answer. If ever she asked him why, he'd just say that he hadn't heard her. That was fair enough, right?

"If you don't share a paopu with Kairi soon, Riku might beat you to it," Selphie called after him.

Sora's heart skipped a beat. He did his best to ignore Selphie's comment as he hurried up to the first level platform around the big tree.

They had agreed to meet up near the boat ruins today. That meant the other side of the island. He knew a shortcut, rather than having to go through that door all the way on the other end. There was a little cave that he could take to get there fast. Sora pulled himself into the cave and hurried through, slightly bent over so as not to hit his head on anything. He popped out on the other side of the island, elevated so that he was level with the tops of the small "forest" of palm trees that grew in the shade. Directly next to where Sora stood was a small barren tree that had a large yellow star stuck onto its trunk. Sora grinned at the tree, placing one hand absentmindedly on its surface.

Just next to the little forest was where they had started to build their raft. And that's exactly where it still was. Sora hopped onto the tops of one of the palm trees and shimmied down its truck to reach the ground. He then ran straight for Kairi, who stood expectantly on the raft, looking for Sora and Riku. Sora grinned and waved.

"Kairi! Over here!"

She turned at the sound of her name and gave Sora a huge smile. "Look!" she exclaimed, gesturing toward the raft.

The raft was just about finished. All the logs had been tied securely together to make the bottom of the raft. The mast jutted out from the center of the raft and stretched up toward the sky, the cloth that Sora had gotten the day before stretched out to make the sail. Sora smiled proudly as he gazed at it.

Kairi's smile grew. "The raft's almost ready! All we have to do now is load it with food."

"Sounds good!" Sora said with a grin. "Riku must've gotten here early and worked on it, huh?"

At that, Kairi's smile slightly faded. "Hey… have you seen Riku?"

"Oh, come to think of it, no," Sora murmured slightly, taking a cue from Kairi to look around. He grinned. "Don't worry, I'll find him."

He then took off for the other end of the island, jumping up onto a rock and then clambering onto the stone plateau. This side of the island had more rocks than the other. But it was the perfect racecourse. Directly on Sora's right hand side was a large wooden tower. It had a long ladder leading up to the top, where there was a rope tied to one of the planks that tied to another, smaller wooden tower on the other end of the island. Attached to that rope was a wooden slider that they could grab onto to glide across.

There was a rickety old wooden bridge right in front of the tower, leading in the other direction over a small section of water toward the doorway that led to the other side of the island. Some of the planks of the bridge had rotted through and fallen off, making large gaps in it. Sora looked across the water and squinted. There, standing near the edge, looking out into the horizon, was Riku. Sora smiled. Riku'd been doing that an awful lot lately. He began to make his way across the rickety bridge.

He raced across the bridge, hopping over the gaps. He remembered that one set of planks was just about ready to break off. But when Sora finally remembered which one it was, it was already too late. The platform broke off as he shifted his weight onto it, taking him down with it into the water below. Sora tumbled into the salty water as the planks broke on the stones. He lifted himself out slowly, shaking the water out of his light brown hair. With a defeated sigh, Sora trudged through the water and pulled himself up onto the stone platform where Riku stood.

He looked up at Riku and grinned. "What're you doing all the way over here?"

Riku gave a start, as though he'd been in a deep trance, and then turned to look at Sora. "I was just thinking that our raft still needs a name," he told him. He put one hand thoughtfully under his chin for a moment. "Let's see… How about Highwind?"

Sora grinned. For some reason that name sounded rather familiar. He wasn't able to place it, but he was sure that he'd heard it somewhere else. "Naw, not Highwind."

"What would _you _call it?" Riku wanted to know, folding his arms over his chest.

"Me? Well… hmm…" Sora tapped the side of his head thoughtfully. Then his face stretched out into a grin as he looked back up at Riku. "Excalibur!" Sora shouted excitedly.

A challenging gleam appeared in Riku's green eyes. "Hey, how 'bout…"

"The usual?" Sora finished, the same competitive sparkle in his own blue eyes.

"Let's do it!"

Just then Kairi stepped onto the gravel platform with a smile. She put her arms behind her back and gave them a knowing look. "You guys at it again? All right, I'll be the judge." Kairi turned slightly with a giggle and pointed in the direction from which she came. "The usual rules apply: Take any route you want. First one to tag the tree with the star and make it back here wins."

Sora turned to Riku as they took their places. "If _I_ win, I'm captain!" he told him cheerily. "And if _you _win…"

"I get to share the paopu with Kairi," Riku said solemnly, without even looking at Sora.

"Huh!"

Riku smiled mischievously at Sora. "Deal? The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi."

Sora's eyes widened, panicked. He looked away, his mind racing. Share a paopu with Kairi? That meant… So then Riku wanted to… But what if Sora lost…? "W-Wait a minute…"

Kairi, having taken her position as referee, turned to look at the boys. "Okay, on my count!"

Riku leaned into the position that professional racers got into at the start of a race. But Sora's mind was still in a whirl. What was he going to do? It was too late to back out now!

"Three!"

The countdown had already begun!

"Two!"

He had no choice.

"One!"

He just had to win!

"Go!"

Kairi dropped her hand as though it was a flag.

Both boys sprung forward at the signal. They were evenly matched – for now. Sora glanced at Riku as they turned the corner onto the bridge. He considered nudging him slightly out of the way… He shook his head slowly, pushing the thought out of his mind. Sora turned his attention to the old wooden planks of the bridge. He frowned slightly. It was too bad that he'd already broken off the rotted planks. Sora would have used that to lose Riku.

Riku and Sora hopped over each gap in the bridge, both of them still perfectly matched. Sora clenched his teeth, determined to win. He looked forward and stared up at the tower. It would probably be fastest to use the slider. Sora extended one hand and grabbed onto one of the rungs of the ladder before Riku could and swung himself onto the ladder, climbing as quickly as possible. Riku slowed for a moment, glancing up at Sora. It slowed him down, but most certainly wouldn't make him stop.

Sora hurried up the ladder. It was definitely a very long ladder to have to climb, but Sora couldn't stop. He scrambled up to the top, pulling himself up onto the platform. He grabbed onto the wooden slider with both hands and pushed off the tower with his feet. He tucked his legs in as he slid down the rope so he could go faster. Below him he could see Riku running toward the incline, his arms pumping at his sides. Sora made a face and began to swing his legs in an attempt to speed up.

As he began to approach the second wooden tower, Sora swung forward and released the slider, sending him flying through the air. He rolled as he hit the ground, and then scrambled back up to his feet as Riku was just about to pass him. Sora groaned. No fair. They ran up the slope, jumping from one stone to the next. Both of them extended one hand to touch the star on the tree. Their hands touched it at the exact same moment, and both boys looked at each other. Sora grinned before taking off, jumping down into the palm tree forest. As he landed in the sand, Sora rolled back up to his feet and ran as fast as he could toward where Kairi was waiting for the boys to arrive.

He jumped back up to the stone platform, nearly slipping on a patch of moss near the edge, and then leapt into the water with a loud splash. He struggled through the water as quickly as he could. Sora could see Kairi. He was practically there already! He could hear Kairi cheering excitedly. Sora smiled, reaching forward to grab onto the edge of the platform. He pulled himself up so he was standing right next to Kairi, his smile growing as he realized that he had won. Kairi screamed excitedly, pulling Sora into a hug and then began to jump up and down.

"Congrats, Sora!"

Sora grinned, his face slightly pink. He then turned around to face Riku, who had just arrived. "Now the score's one to one!" he laughed, almost mockingly.

Riku gave Sora an almost malicious look. "Man, lighten up. It's just a name, after all."

Sora looked at Riku, shocked for a moment. He narrowed his eyes, screwing his face up into a frown. How could he have done that to him…?

Kairi looked at each of the boys in turn, and then gave them her best smile in an attempt to lift their spirits. "Anyways! Today we collect provisions for our trip!" She turned to Sora, putting her arms behind her back. "Let's see. Sora, you're looking for one seagull egg, three mushrooms, two coconuts, three fish, and…" Kairi reached into her pocket and pulled out a clear bottle. She pushed it into Sora's hands, closing his fingers around it. "And fill this up with drinking water. But not from the ocean!"

Sora put the bottle away, glancing over at Riku one last time. "Alright, I got it."

"Bring everything over to the boat ruins," Kairi said as she began to walk away. "I'll be over there, okay? If you need help, just ask."

The coconuts were probably the easiest to get. All Sora had to do was whack the trunks of the coconut trees a few times until a ripe one fell to the ground. And since the trees were so close to the raft's building site, Sora merely dropped them down near the base of the mast.

As for the mushrooms, Sora knew that there were a few growing on this side of the island. He managed to scrape up two mushrooms; one had been growing in a small cave near the boat ruins, but Sora had had to move a boulder in order to get inside. The other grew among the plants near the base of the large wooden tower. Those were also quickly returned to the raft. Sora set them down nicely near the coconuts.

Sora had to get into the water in order to get the three fish. For some reason, he couldn't find any in the cove, so he had to return to the other side of the island to find them. And since Sora didn't have any fishing gear on him, he'd had to catch them with his bare hands (no easy task). Selphie had a lot of fun watching Sora swim around, trying to grab hold of the fish. In the end, she gave him a small net and a bag for him to keep them in.

The drinking water was also very easy to obtain, since on that side of the island, near the base of the big hollow tree, was a small waterfall and pond of fresh water. All he had to do was open the bottle and fill it up. The bottle of water was placed carefully into the bag with the fish.

It was possible that Sora had the hardest time getting hold of a seagull egg. He didn't even know where to begin to look for a seagull egg, as he had no idea where the seagulls nested. He probably climbed to the top of every tree on the island in order to find it. And when he did find the egg, he was surprised to see how big it was. Unfortunately, there was only one. Sora sighed and placed the egg into the bag with the water and fish.

He returned to the boat ruins. Kairi was leaning against the mast of the raft, fiddling with something that Sora couldn't see in her hands. Sora smiled.

"Kairi!" She didn't look up. She merely smiled. Sora tilted his head curiously to one side and came closer. "Whatcha doin'?"

"This?" she answered, raising a long piece of thread with a series of white and yellow shells hooked into it. "I'm making a necklace of thalassa shells. In the old days, sailors always wore thalassa shells. They were supposed to ensure a safe voyage."

Sora grinned. "Don't worry, Kairi," he said confidently. "With or without them, we'll be just fine."

Kairi smiled slightly. "You don't believe in fairy tales, Sora?"

He merely shrugged in response. Then, remembering, he held the bag out for Kairi. "Here's the stuff we need."

Kairi smiled as she took the bag from him with both hands. "Hey, that was quick! Thanks, Sora. Let's see, what's still missing?" She inspected the bag and looked over what Sora had placed at the base of the mast. "One more mushroom!"

Sora groaned. "Another mushroom?"

Kairi giggled to herself. "You have this habit of forgetting just the one more item on the list," she told Sora. "I know you can find it, Captain!" She saluted Sora playfully. Sora looked confused.

"Don't you remember, Sora? You won the race and named the raft! And since you named the raft, doesn't that make you captain?"

"Oh yeah," Sora murmured. That had been his condition. If Sora won the race, then he'd be captain, and they'd name the raft Excalibur.

"Then from now on," Kairi said with a laugh, "I'll say 'Aye, aye, Captain Sora!' "

Sora laughed. "Okay, Kairi. I'll go find that last mushroom, so you stay right here."

Kairi smiled. "Aye, aye, Captain Sora!"

Easier said than done. Sora didn't even know where to begin to search for another mushroom. He turned to Selphie for help, but all she could talk about was the paopu fruit, and who she should share it with. Sora shrugged and left. He jumped down from the dock and looked around for someone else to ask. His eye caught on the figure of Tidus, still practicing with that red staff. Only this time, he was practicing where Riku and Sora had had their little spat the day before. Sora made his way up to the top of the plateau as quickly as he could. "Hey, Tidus!"

Tidus turned around and looked over at Sora, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He smiled and waved, and then continued with his practice.

"Hey, Sora," he said with a grin. "I think you've gotten stronger, but odds are you're _still _no match for _Riku_." Sora twitched at the words. "We took him on _three-to-one_ last time, and he whipped us all. Well, I guess Kairi can always count on him."

Sora's face fell. "Hey, listen, Tidus, you wouldn't happen to know where to find some mushrooms, would you?"

"Say, are you and Riku really pals?" Tidus went on, as though he hadn't heard Sora's question. "It's kinda hard to tell sometimes." Then Tidus lowered his weapon and looked over at Sora. "Anyway… Let's go a round, Sora!"

Sora sighed. Tidus had completely ignored his question. There was just no helping how air-headed Tidus could be. "One-on-one?" Sora prompted. "Sure! I did promise you, right?"

Tidus grinned and nodded. Sora walked over to where he had left his sword the day before and took it into his hands. "And I always keep my promises. Bring it on, Tidus!"

"Hey, no problem. I can take you down myself!"

Sora and Tidus got into their positions atop the plateau. Tidus grinned as he ran forward and swung his staff with all his might. Sora blocked the blow with his sword and then moved around so he stood behind him. He struck Tidus in the back, sending him forward, almost causing him to hit one of the trees face first. Tidus spun around and swung his staff again, but Sora jumped out of the way. He then did a somersault kick in the air, which Sora just barely managed to dodge. Tidus grinned as he followed up with a swing of his staff, striking Sora in the side. Sora slid to the side, clutching the bruise on his side and wincing.

As Tidus made another charge, Sora pulled the same move he had with Riku before; jumping over his head and turning mid-air to strike Tidus in the back. Tidus stumbled forward and rolled over the edge of the platform. Sora put his sword down and peered over the edge of the plateau.

"Y-You okay?" he called down.

Tidus shook the water out of his hair and looked up. He waved at Sora with a smile and then hit himself lightly on the head. "Aw, man… What's up?"

Sora smiled slightly, and then wordlessly took off. He still had a job to do. He was still looking for that last stupid mushroom. Sora raced across the bridge and hopped onto the roof of the small wooden shack. He glanced around. Mushrooms grew in dark places… Sora jumped from the roof to the fresh water pond, where Wakka was standing with his volleyball tucked under one arm. Wakka looked at Sora as he landed and smiled.

"Hey, Sora! You seen Tidus?"

"Yeah, he's back there." Sora pointed at the plateau then looked at Wakka curiously. "Why?"

Wakka smiled mysteriously at his reaction, turning toward the tree and pointing at a crack in the rock at the base of the large hollow tree. The rock surrounding it was overgrown with moss and other kinds of leafy vegetation. It was dark and musty looking. As Sora followed Wakka's gaze, his eyes widened.

"Me and Tidus," Wakka said, "we're gonna do a little explorin' today. You know, to the secret place at the base of that tree. There's gotta be _somethin'_ there, ya?"

Sora's eyes still wide, he nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said slowly as a smile crept onto Sora's face. He turned to Wakka and patted him on the arm. "Thanks, Wakka!"

And with that, he hopped up toward the cave. Wakka looked confused at first, but then shrugged it off and turned back around to face where Tidus was. Sora bent over as he passed through the crack in the rock and then carefully rose to his full height when he reached the other side. He followed the tunnel wall with one hand as he walked, staring up at the gnarled roots that could be seen inside. The tunnel led to one very special place.

Sora, Riku and Kairi had never told the other three kids about their secret place. They had claimed the place as their own several years before. Right below the large tree was a fairly large hollow cavern. The walls were all rocks piled on top of each other, held together by the long, twisted roots of the tree above. Kairi and Sora had been scratching drawings onto the rocks for the past few years. They had drawn castles and imaginary underwater places, with mermaids and fish. They had pictures of ducks and dogs that wore clothes and walked upright. There were drawings of strange smiling faces, hearts, diamonds, spades and clovers. There was even a picture of a ghost-like shadow creature looming over a small group of people.

They were never able to explain why they had drawn the pictures that they had drawn. There was nothing to connect them together, but they were all over the cavern. Every rock had a drawing of some kind etched into its surface. It made the place all the more special, the way they saw it. But the most mysterious and wondrous thing that could be found there was the strange door.

Or at least, it looked like a door. But there was no handle or keyhole to be found on it anywhere. All they knew was that, even though it seemed to be made of wood, it never rotted or decayed. The gold embroidery on the door's surface never faded. It always looked brand new, even though it had been there for as long as Riku and Sora could remember.

Sora smiled as he spotted a small mushroom nestled between the roots of the tree near the mysterious door. He walked over and pulled the mushroom out, inspecting it, and then tucked it into his belt with a grin. As Sora was about to rise to his feet, he spotted another one of the drawings. It was a particularly special drawing, to him anyway. It was an etching of him and Kairi. Kairi had drawn Sora, and Sora had drawn Kairi. They weren't the best artists in the world, so the drawings weren't very good, but Sora still loved it best of all.

He put one hand affectionately on the image of Kairi's face, remembering the day that the two of them had scratched the images onto the rock about a year and a half before. Sora smiled faintly, taking a sharp rock into his hands. He then seated himself on the ground and began to etch something new into the rock, just below the image of Kairi's face. The rock whitened with every scratch he made, and small, dust-like pieces of the rock rained slowly down to the ground from the stone's surface.

Sora pulled away, gazing at his new etch, content. He smiled at the image. For there, near the sketch of Kairi, was something that looked like a shooting star. But if one looked close enough, they would realize that it was actually an arm, leading from the image of Sora's face, holding a star close to Kairi's mouth. Sora touched the star, smiling.

As he stared at the image, Sora heard a noise from behind him. He turned around and rose to his feet. "Wh-Who's there?" Sora stammered.

Standing in the shadows beneath one of the tree's roots was a strange person in a long brown overcoat. The hood was so deep that the face of whoever it was got lost in the shadow. A deep voice boomed from within the darkness of the figure's hood.

"I've come to see the door to this world."

"Huh?"

"This world has been connected," it continued.

"Wh-What are you talking about?"

"Tied to the darkness…" It was as though the cloaked person couldn't hear Sora's questions. "Soon to be completely eclipsed."

Sora narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists. "Well, who_ever_ you are," Sora told him, finding his voice, "stop freakin' me out like this." His eyes widened in a sudden realization. "Huh? Wh-Where did _you_ come from?"

The figure never moved an inch. "You do not yet know what lies beyond the door."

Sora glanced at the door to his side. His heart began to race. "So, _you're_ from another _world_!"

"There is so very much to learn. _You _understand so _little_."

"Oh, yeah?" Sora said, his voice growing as he challenged him. He narrowed his eyes at the mysterious cloaked person. "Well, _you'll_ see. I'm gonna get out and _learn_ what's out there!"

"A meaningless effort," came the voice. "One who knows nothing can understand _nothing_."

He thought to say something biting, but nothing came out of Sora's mouth. He merely glared at the hooded figure for a while, waiting for him to say something. After a moment of silence, Sora slowly turned his head to look at the door, his eyes burning holes into its surface. He had seen it hundreds of times before, and this time was no different. He scrutinized it for a brief moment and then turned quickly to look back at the figure.

But he was all alone.

* * *

Sora returned to Kairi and handed her the last mushroom. 

"Thanks, Sora! I found something today, too. Here, it's yours."

Kairi pulled out a Hi-Potion and handed it to Sora. Sora laughed as he took it from her. "Is this all you ever have for me, Kairi?"

She screwed her face up in an attempt to look mean. "Hey, no complaining, Captain!" Then, as though she just couldn't hold it back anymore, Kairi smiled. "Tired? Wanna call it a day?"

"Yeah, we should get home soon," Sora said, slowly glancing over his shoulder as though expecting something to be there. He then looked up into the sky, noticing that it had suddenly gotten darker.

"Okay!" Kairi said with a giggle. "Tomorrow's the big day! We should rest up!"

Both Kairi and Sora walked together toward their boats, but as Sora was about to jump into his boat, Kairi walked toward the end of the dock and sat down, dangling her feet over the edge. Sora tilted his head slightly to one side, confused, then walked over and sat next to her. They sat in silence for a while, looking out toward the horizon at the sunset. The water glimmered in the orange light as the sun was just beginning to sink and set the sky aflame.

Sora leaned back, propping himself up with his arms as he stared out into the sunset. He smiled slightly as he watched the water gleam in the failing light.

"You know, Riku has changed."

He looked over at Kairi curiously. Her face was solemn, her hands folded in her lap, her eyes lowered slightly. The seriousness in her voice had surprised him. "What do you mean?"

She shut her eyes slowly, taking a deep breath, and then slowly looking up into the sunset. "Well… hmm…"

Sora kept his gaze on her face. "You okay?"

Kairi looked over at Sora, a faint, cheerful smile on her face. "Sora, let's take the raft and go – just the_ two_ of us!"

Fortunately for Sora, the orange tint of the sunset covered up his red face. "Huh?"

She looked away quickly, returning her attention to the horizon. She giggled, rocking slightly back and forth. "Just kidding."

Sora looked away slowly, also gazing into the fiery sunset. "What's gotten into you?" Sora asked her, his voice shaken with nervous laughter. "_You're _the one that's changed, Kairi."

Her face was solemn again, her eyes having once again lowered so that she was staring into her lap, at the hands that clutched her knees tightly. "Maybe." She leaned forward, putting her weight on her hands, her eyes lifting toward the sunset again. "You know, I was a little afraid at first, but… Now I'm ready! No matter _where _I go, or _what_ I see, I know I can always come back here."

She looked at Sora with a smile. "Right?"

He looked back at her, slightly taken aback, and nodded. "Yeah, of course!"

"That's good," she said quietly, looking into the sunset again. She rubbed the palms of her hands on her knees. She took a deep breath. "Sora, don't ever change."

"Huh?" He watched with wide, alarmed eyes as Kairi rose to her feet. What… did that mean?

"I just can't wait," Kairi said, even quieter than before, putting her arms behind her back. "Once we set sail… it'll be great."

Sora leaned back, looking back out into the sunset. Once they set sail…

* * *

_Dear Donald,_

_Sorry to rush off without sayin' goodbye, but there's big trouble brewin'.  
__Not __sure why, but the stars have been blinkin' out, one by one. _

_And that means __disaster can't be far behind.  
__I hate to leave you all but I've gotta go check into it._

_There's someone with a "key" the key to our survival._

_So I need you and Goofy to find him, and stick with him. Got it?  
__We need that key or we're doomed! So go to Traverse Town and find Leon. _

_He'll point you in the right direction._

_P.S.  
__Would ya apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks, pal_

_

* * *

__Disney Castle_

"Oh, dear! What could this _mean_?"

Donald, Goofy, Daisy, and Queen Minnie were all gathered in the castle library. The king's dog Pluto was asleep in his bed on the floor near the desk, from where the queen had been reading the letter aloud to the others. Donald bowed his head slightly in dismay, putting his hands solemnly together. Goofy scratched the back of his head, somewhat confused by what had just happened. The queen put the letter down on the desk, smoothing it over the surface, and rose to her feet.

"It means we'll just have to trust the king," she told Daisy faithfully, walking around the desk to stand next to her.

Goofy placed one finger thoughtfully on his lips. "Gawrsh, I sure hope he's all right."

Donald looked up at Queen Minnie, putting one fist over his heart. "Your Highness." Minnie turned to look at the court wizard. "Don't worry," he told her proudly. "We'll find the king _and_ this 'key'."

The queen smiled at Donald. "Thank you," she said sweetly. Then, turning toward Goofy she added, "Both of you."

The court wizard dropped his fist and turned to Daisy. "Daisy, can you take care of - "

"Of course." The lady duck smiled and nodded. "You be careful, now, both of you."

"Oh," Queen Minnie said quietly, the word escaping from her lips in a high squeak. Her eyes drifted back toward the table. "And to chronicle your travels, _he_ will accompany you." The queen gestured toward the desk.

Donald blinked, confused. He couldn't see anybody. All he saw was the desk and everything that the king had left on its surface. That is, until something began to jump into the air from the table top.

"Over here!" came a small voice.

The voice belonged to a small cricket that stood near the edge of the desk. He stood upright on his hind legs, his feet slipped into a pair of shiny black and white shoes. He wore a small black tuxedo-like jacket over his white blouse and red vest. On the top of his head was a traditional top hat, light blue in color, which he tipped in greeting to Donald.

"Cricket's the name," he said with a bow. "Jiminy Cricket, at your service."

Minnie looked back at Donald. "We hope for your safe return. Please help the king."

Donald straightened and put his right hand over his heart in salute. The queen and Daisy folded their hands in front of them, nodding approvingly at the court wizard. Goofy, who now stood next to Daisy, saluted Donald as though Donald were a soldier heading off to war. Donald glared at Goofy, instantly breaking his posture as he stormed forward and grabbed Goofy by the arm.

"You're coming, too!" he quacked, dragging Goofy away.

* * *

"Gawrsh, Jiminy, your world disappeared, too?" 

Donald and Goofy trudged down a long spiral staircase that led to where the Gummi ships were held. They weren't used very often, only in emergencies, and there were only two ships. Donald and Goofy knew for sure that the king had taken one of them on his investigation, which meant they were left with the other to follow him.

They were pretty much a secret to everyone. Only a small group of people knew about these Gummi ships. Because of this, they were stored far below the castle, which was why Goofy and Donald, with Jiminy perched atop Goofy's head, were walking down a very long spiral staircase. It was dark, and the only sources of light came from symbols etched into the wall that cast a dim light over the steps.

"It was _terrible_," Jiminy replied. "We were scattered. And as far as I can see, I'm the _only _one who made it to this castle."

Donald glanced behind him. "Goofy?" he called, reminding his friend.

"Oh, right," Goofy said, remembering. "I gotcha. While we're in other worlds, we can't let on where we're from." Goofy chuckled softly. "We've gotta protect the world border."

Donald shook his head sadly from side to side. " 'Order'," he corrected him.

"Right. World _order_." Goofy let out his trademark laugh.

The duck sighed, exasperated, as they left the spiral staircase behind them and walked down a short tunnel to where a door awaited their arrival. They had just about reached the Gummi ship hangar.

"I guess we'll need new duds when we get there, huh?" Goofy asked Donald as they reached the large crown shaped door.

There was no reply from the duck.

The Gummi ship hangar looked like the inside of a clock while being fixed. There was a pair of giant mechanical white gloves that moved about the hangar attached to sliders that were in the rafters, picking items up and moving them across the room. There were giant gears all over the room, including one exceptionally large one right next to the control center. There were strangely shaped gizmos all over the room, some of which had functions unknown to most everyone. The Gummi ship was placed in the middle of the clockwork chaos, basking in its own glory.

Donald stepped up to a yellow pipe, designed after the kinds used to communicate on sea ships. The pipe was meant to allow communication between the launch crew up in the control center and the pilots. Donald cupped one hand around his beak as he spoke into it.

"Hello up there?" he quacked. "Donald Duck to launch crew! Anytime you're ready!"

As Donald's voice echoed in the control center, one of the launch crewmembers eagerly gave a salute. The other chipmunk dashed behind the first, running to the other side of the control center, and leapt onto one of the levers, lowering it. The chipmunk planted both feet on the ground and spun around, trying to make sure all was in order in the hangar. It would've been a disaster if he had jumped the wrong lever.

Inside the hangar, pipes began to blow out steam and the gears began to spin even faster than before. The giant white gloves moved across the hangar to where Goofy and Donald stood waiting. They lowered one by one and closed their giant fingers gently around first Goofy, then Donald, and carried them quickly over to the Gummi ship, where they were dropped into their seats.

It was about then that Pluto ran through the entrance to the hangar and leapt gracefully from the balcony. When he landed, he slid across the flooring, straight into the ground entrance of the Gummi ship. Pluto was tucked inside the ship with a slight yelp of surprise.

Goofy and Donald got ready in their seats as the doorway in front of them began to open slowly. The Gummi ship's engine started up, and the entire ship began to shake, mildly at first, but slowly getting stronger and more violent. The runway on the other side of the door had red and blue lights lined all along the walls until they were engulfed by the darkness.

Queen Minnie and Daisy had come down to see them off. They stepped out toward the railing and looked up to where the Gummi ship had been elevated so that it was level with the now open runway. Donald looked down and winked, giving a thumbs up signal to Daisy.

The rocket engines began to spew fire as the Gummi ship was just about ready to blast off. The ship shook violently with the force of the engine. Donald grinned, and pointed one finger enthusiastically toward the runway.

"Blast off!" he screamed excitedly.

Suddenly a red arrow that pointed down appeared in the way of the runway. An alarm began to go off. And then, as quick as lightning, the flooring beneath the ship vanished. Both Donald and Goofy began to scream as the ship fell and tumbled through darkness, the engines trying desperately to start up again. The ship popped out from the dark tunnel just as the rocket boosters finally kicked in. Donald took hold of the controls. It wasn't long before the ship had vanished out of sight.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ahh, enter the ever famous dog and duck. Remember that writing policy I mentioned before? You'll notice that it got used here. Sorry if the descriptions of Donald and Goofy aren't all that great, but I tried. How do you explain in detail what a world famous dog and duck look like using only words? Not an easy task, let me tell ya. 

And if you're wondering why I had Sora win over Riku in the race... Well, I had to have Sora win _something _against Riku! I mean, poor kid, he takes such ego abuse from that guy. But see, now they're tied! So when we get to the later parts of the story... Ah, if you don't already know, then you'll see soon enough.

Now the real story's comin' in! Oooh, how exciting:D Stick with me, people!


	4. The Adventure Begins

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

**Author's Note to the Readers: **Hehehe. Who's ready for _this _roller coaster ride? Be prepared to get confused. But... Try not to. :D

* * *

_**Chapter 3**_**  
The Adventure Begins**

_Destiny Island_

The sky had turned dark purple, now that the sun had completely set, and the ocean, reflecting the sky, had also turned into a murky dark blue-violet. The water looked infinitely deeper than it had just an hour or so earlier. Outside, the street lamps cast their unnatural yellow light on the road, piercing through the darkness at regular intervals.

Sora's room was engulfed in darkness, even though he had turned on the light near his desk. The only light was what managed to creep in through the slits in the bottom of his bedroom door (the hall light was always so much stronger than the lights in his room), as well as the faint moonlight that came in through the shut window. The light just barely touched the many items strewn across the floor; clothes lying in the exact places that he had stripped them off, old toys that had been pulled out but never put away. It was the typical bedroom of a fourteen-year-old boy.

Sora lay on his bed, still fully dressed. His arms were tucked under his head as he stared blankly out through the closed window, where he could see their island in the distance. His gaze shifted slowly from the window to the ceiling, and then wandered to some of the many toys he had dangling from the ceiling. Among them was a ship, in which he had placed some time before (how long ago he couldn't remember) two dolls that Kairi had made a few years earlier. They weren't the best dolls that Kairi had ever made, but they did definitely look like one boy and one girl. He stared at the dolls intently, his thoughts drifting to Kairi.

'_I just can't wait. Once we set sail, it'll be great.'_

He could hear her voice echoing in his head. Sora smiled, turning his head slowly to look back out the window. The night sky was getting illuminated slightly by a white blue light, flashing on and off. Sora started to slowly rise into a sitting position, his smile fading. He could see lightning flashes illuminating the sky, the clouds, and the trees of a distant island.

"A storm? Oh, no!" Sora gasped, sitting up in bed quickly. "The raft!"

* * *

"Sora!"

The motherly voice came from downstairs. Footsteps could be heard, getting louder and louder as Sora's mother approached his bedroom.

"Dinner's ready!"

The footsteps were loud now. She was just about to open the door to his room.

"Sora?"

The doorknob rattled as Sora's mother wrapped her fingers about it. The door creaked as she opened the door. The yellow light from the hallway spilled into Sora's room, pouring over the first objects that would be caught, casting long shadows across the floor. The night sea breeze blew in through the open window, gently rolling the curtains between its fingers. The bed was ruffled, but no one lay in it.

* * *

Sora paddled hurriedly toward the island in his raft, the lightning and thunder booming in his ears. The sea was calmer than it usually was during storms, which made the boating trip that much easier. Sora gasped for breath as he had just about reached the island, taking a small break from paddling. His eyes lifted to the sky.

"What's that?" Sora breathed aloud, his eyes narrowing.

Hovering just above the island was a large blue-black colored orb. Its core glowed a sort of pinkish-orange color, and all across the surface of the orb were strings of what could only be described as lightning. Sora glared at it. This was no storm. No clouds were gathered, nor was the water any harsher than usual. But still, that giant orb couldn't mean anything good. He hopped up onto the dock, deciding not to bother with tying up the boat, and as he was just about to head to the where the raft lay in wait, his eye caught. He froze, his eyes fixated on two other boats floating in the water, right next to his.

"Riku's boat," he gasped. "And Kairi's!"

He clenched his teeth. What were _they _doinghere? Were they worried about the raft, too? Sora looked away from the boats and searched what he could see of the island. No Riku or Kairi anywhere.

That's when something dark rose up from the ground. It was bent over, its front limbs lowered to the ground, making it look something like a giant black ant with glowing yellow eyes. It bounced about, constantly shifting its weight from one crooked leg to the other. It wasn't alone. More and more of its kind soon joined it. Sora's eyes widened. His heart stopped for just a moment.

The shadow creatures from his dream.

He suddenly felt like he was going to lose his mind. How could those things exist? They were supposed to have just been images in his mind, it was just supposed to be a dream... Maybe he was still dreaming. Maybe he wasn't on the island at all and was really still at home, lying in bed.

Due to his shock, he didn't realize that several of the creatures were about to attack him. By the time he did, they had already pounced on him, raking their claws across his clothes and exposed flesh. He cried out in pain and quickly shook them off. These things - these monsters - were real. The pain was enough to tell him that. But why?

Finally breaking away, he ran to his boat to grab his wooden sword. He then spun around on his heel to face the shadow monsters. They took little hops toward him, and once they got close enough, they jumped at him. Sora moved out of the way, turning slightly in a dodge. And then he realized - they had him surrounded. The ones behind him attacked and sent him tumbling forward, straight into others who sent him back. Sora bit down on his lip, trying desperately to swallow his fear and panic, and began to swing his wooden sword frantically from side to side.

A chill ran down his spine. His sword couldn't hit them. He could feel his mind border on the edge of panic again, but he quickly forced it back down. Clenching his teeth, Sora spun around and started to run. Maybe he could escape from them. He stared at the creatures he had left behind, wide eyed. Maybe they wouldn't follow him. Suddenly, Sora was pushed back onto the ground by something that had hit him from the front. He looked. More of the shadow creatures.

A small, frightened sound escaped from his throat as Sora scrambled to his feet and continued to run. But where could he run to? To the secret place. Yeah, the secret place. He could be safe there. Sora's eyes widened in shock when he reached the crack in the wall. It was covered. Not by a rock, not by plants. There was a _door _standing in his way.

'_Where did this door come from?'_ Sora thought, panicked.

It looked familiar somehow. White in color. Slightly pointed at the top. Intricate carvings all over its surface. Sora grabbed the handles and pulled. Nothing. It was locked.

'_Better go find Riku first.'_

He spun around and began to run. He jumped down into the fresh water pond, leapt up onto the roof of the shack. The shadow creatures kept popping out. From where? Sora didn't know. They would just rise up from the ground, no matter where he went. And he couldn't escape every flashing claw he encountered. It wasn't long before the exposed parts of his arms and legs had scratches all over them. In panic, Sora jumped up onto a tree trunk and began to climb to the top. Sora looked below him, where the creatures had followed. They hopped around frantically, but none of them climbed.

"Serves ya right, ya freaks!" he shouted down at them.

The tree swayed as the wind began to pick up speed. Sora looked around him desperately. Strong wind was not good, especially since he was in a tree. Where to run to? No matter where he went, those creatures would be there. He had to calm down. He had to think… The plateau was nearby. Sora looked to the plateau on his right. And that's when he realized… Someone was standing there.

"Riku?"

Sora jumped from the tree trop to the ground, hitting the ground in a run. He dashed across the bridge, doing his best to ignore the shadow creatures. It was… Yes, it was Riku! It seemed like he was looking out into the horizon. Again. Sora gritted his teeth as he came to stop just a few feet behind Riku.

"Where's Kairi?!" he screamed, half angry, half panicked. "I thought she was with you!"

"The door," came Riku's voice, "has opened…"

Riku's voice was surprisingly even and calm. Sora narrowed his eyes, confused. "What?"

"The door has opened, Sora!" Riku said as he turned to face him, his voice louder. "Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talkin' about?" Sora shouted, clenching his hands into fists. "We've gotta find Kairi!"

"Kairi's coming with us!" Riku shouted back, his voice almost trembling with excitement, a strange gleam in his eyes.

Sora was taken aback, his eyes widening. His heart skipped a beat. What was going on? What had gotten into Riku? What was wrong with him?!

"Once we step through, we might not be able to come back," Riku said matter of factly. He was looking up at the glowing orb, which hovered directly above him. "We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance." Riku sounded calm, even somewhat remorseful. But what he was saying… "We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

Riku turned back to Sora, a hint of a smile on his face and an almost maniacal gleam in his eyes. He calmly outstretched one hand toward Sora. Sora had seen this before, too. Terror had completely seized him now. His dream…

"Riku…" His voice was shaking.

Suddenly, a large black patch appeared right underneath Riku's feet. Black tendrils reached up from the ground and wrapped tightly around Riku's body, steadily climbing higher and higher. It had almost completely engulfed him. Yet Riku's position remained the same, one hand still outstretched. Something inside Sora's head kept screaming in panic, _'The dream, the dream…'_

Sora ran toward him, one hand reaching out for Riku. But suddenly, his feet refused to move. A black patch had appeared around him, too. Sora was terrified. It was like that dream, all over again. Maybe it hadn't been a dream after all. Sora looked back up at Riku and leaned forward, still trying to grab hold of Riku's hand. He had to save him… Somehow, he had to save Riku…

A force pushed Sora backward, his arm thrust back toward him. Sora began to struggle, the black shadow tendrils beginning to wrap around him. It was exactly like his dream! Even the texture… The cold, icy feeling… Suddenly it felt like the ground was shaking beneath him. Sora felt like he would fall at any moment.

The darkness began to close in around him… He could hardly see… The whole world was going black… Where was Riku? He didn't even know any more. Where was this? What was this feeling? Why was everything so dark? Why couldn't he see? What had happened to Riku? To Kairi? He hadn't found Kairi yet!

A bright gleam of light suddenly pierced through the darkness. It got brighter and brighter, until all the darkness was forced away and Sora was blinded by the white light. And then the strange feeling was gone. The white light dimmed. Sora opened his eyes and gazed around him. He was back on the island. Still in the exact place he had been standing with Riku. Riku!

Sora looked in front of him. Riku was gone. He frowned, looking down at his feet, and then into his right hand. He was holding some kind of large key. The upper portion of it, where his fingers were tightly wound about it, was colored gold and blue. The length of it was silver, and the teeth were shaped like a strange crown. Sora gripped the key in his hand and looked up into the sky. Was this… Was this for that weird fancy door that had appeared…?

_Keyblade…_

A voice. The same one from his dream?

_Keyblade…_

He looked down at the Keyblade and examined it. Dangling from the top, like a keychain on a bag, was a small pendant made up of three circles; one big circle with two smaller ones attached near the top of the bigger one. Sora recognized that symbol. That, too, had been in his dream. What did it mean?

Just then, the shadow creatures began to appear again. Sora gasped, spinning on his heel and dashing back across the bridge to the mainland. They reappeared on the bridge. They popped up from the sand on the beach. And it seemed like there were more of them!

Sora began to swing the key at them, panicked, not knowing what else to do. And, quite to his surprise, the key was striking them. It was as though the key could pop them open with just a few swings. Sora grinned. It was time for revenge. He struck every shadow creature that came in his way, relishing in the fact that he could now kill them. And every time one vanished, he felt strength flow into his body.

While it was fun to kill these things, Sora did eventually remember the strange door. Maybe now that he had this Keyblade he would be able to open it. That made sense enough, didn't it? Sora destroyed one more shadow creature before he headed for the door.

Once Sora reached it, he raised the Keyblade toward it. He wasn't quite sure what to do with it, though. He began to grow impatient, just waiting for something to happen. Sora moaned and began to run in place, restless. For all he knew, those shadow things were surrounding him!

"Agh, screw it!" Sora grumbled.

He tucked the Keyblade into his belt and was just about to grab the door handles, when suddenly, the door opened on its own. Sora stepped back, alarmed. Suddenly, he realized where he had seen this door before. It had also been in his dream. No doubt about it. They looked almost exactly the same, and they even opened the same way.

He hesitated slightly before crawling through the crack in the rock. He ran down the earthy tunnel, his arms pumping at his sides. There was something here. Something was different. Something… had changed.

Sora entered the cavity beneath the tree and screeched to a stop, his eyes caught. "Kairi!"

Kairi was standing in front of the strange wooden door. It seemed as though she had merely been staring at it all this time. She slowly turned around at the sound of her name. Something inside Sora jumped. There was something different about her. She looked drained of energy, almost sickly. Her eyes were half shut, her arms lying limp at her sides. Her eyes moved as though vaguely aware that there was anything in front of her.

"Sora…" Her voice was slow and dragging. It sounded almost like a ghost.

His eyes widened at the sight of her, and the sound of her voice. What was going on? First Riku, and now Kairi?

She began to lifted one arm slowly, outstretching it toward Sora. Sora lifted one hand toward her as though meaning to take her hand into his. There was something wrong with her. He had to help her somehow. He had to save her… Kairi's eyes began to widen. There was something in her face that looked terrified of something…

The door behind her suddenly exploded open. Some kind of dark force flushed out like a strong wind. Sora had to shield himself from the blast. He forced his eyes open and looked back at Kairi. The wind pushed her forward. Sora looked up at her and stretched out his arms in an attempt to catch her. Kairi opened her arms slightly, ready to grab onto Sora…

Sora closed his arms… around nothing. Kairi had vanished! Sora's eyes went wide in alarm. What…? He looked up into the newly opened doorway. Suddenly, the force strengthened, and Sora was knocked off his feet and sent careening backwards down the earthen hallway, tumbling head over heels until he popped out on the other side and he was rolling in the beach sand. He pulled his face out of the sand and raised himself up onto all fours. His eyes widened in horror.

"Whoa!"

The entire island had been destroyed! No, the entire _world_ had been destroyed! All that was left was a small spat of the island. There was no more water, no more mainland, no rocks, no trees, no anything! He could feel his face grow cold, unable to do anything but watch, feeling pathetic and helpless to stop these horrible things from happening. Every ounce of panic he had felt that night came back to him in full force, overwhelming all of his senses. His mind raced, full of distraught, unanswered questions that only panicked him further.

Sora spun around, rising to his feet. Just above him was the glowing orb. It seemed to have gotten bigger. Debris from the island was spinning around him as though he had been caught in the eye of the tornado. They seemed to be getting sucked into the orb. The whole world had gotten sucked up by that giant glowing orb. All that was left was the small piece of island, a few surviving wooden planks, Sora, and something that had come back to haunt him.

The giant monster from his dream.

It loomed over him ominously, its yellow eyes peering out from the tangle of tentacles that were wrapped tightly about its face, its claws, its curled feet, the giant heart shaped hole in its middle… There it was. And Sora knew that this was no dream. Every sensation here was real: the panic, the terror, the frustration and anger... The only thing he could think to do at that moment was attack.

So he did. He pulled out the Keyblade from his belt, gripping it tight in his hands and then ran toward the shadow monster. He leapt into the air, the Keyblade raised high over his head. Then, with all the distraught, fragmented thoughts and emotions blasting through his mind at light speed, something inside Sora exploded.

"This is all _your _fault!" he screamed, feeling hot tears pricking at his eyes. Somewhere deep down he knew it wasn't true, but he needed to take the blame out on something.

The Keyblade sliced vertically downward on the monster's hand. The monster released a cry of fury and pain as the tip of the Keyblade was pushed deeper into the monster's skin. Sora pulled himself up onto the monster's arm, then grabbed the Keyblade with both hands and pulled the tip back out. He then began to half-run, half-stumble up the length of the monster's arm toward its head. As Sora approached the giant's face, it turned slightly to look at him with its large yellow eyes.

A shiver of terror ran down Sora's spine. Those malicious yellow eyes…

Sora squeezed his eyes shut and struck at the monster's face with the Keyblade. How effective it was this time around, Sora couldn't tell. He didn't dare look. He didn't _ever _want to have to see those eyes again. For extra measure, Sora raised the Keyblade up into the air and slashed again. Had he won? He couldn't tell. He just wanted to find out what had happened to Riku and Kairi. He thought that maybe, just maybe, once this thing was defeated, he'd find out. There must be a connection.

The creature slammed its hands into the ground, sand rising from the ground with the impact and flying up into the glowing orb above them. The force of the blow knocked Sora back to the ground, falling from the monster's shoulder. Sora rolled away from the monster and then quickly rose up to his feet to see what was happening.

Whether Sora had won or not, the force of the tornado that they were caught in had gotten stronger. Sora ran to the side, grabbing onto the first thing that he saw; a portion of the dock. The monster's feet began to lift up off the ground. Sora gasped in horror as he watched the monster get pulled into the air. The orb was sucking the monster up, too! He turned away as the monster merged with the giant orb, focusing all his energy on holding on to the wooden planks.

The wind, or the force, or whatever it was, was getting stronger with each passing second. Sora's feet began to lift up off the ground. One hand was wrenched away from the wooden planks. Sora gritted his teeth, trying to hold on with his one hand as he tried to get the other hand low enough to grab on. But it was no use. The force was just getting too strong. It wasn't long before Sora found himself high above the ground, getting closer and closer to the giant orb's surface. All he could do was reach desperately for the land that was quickly getting farther and farther away from the reach of his outstretched hand…

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**Author's Note: **End Chapter 3. Three words for you guys: "Pum pum puhhhhh..." :D This chapter was really hard to explain, but it's okay, because you're supposed to be kinda confused throughout. Nee, P-chan? (hehehe)


	5. Traverse Town

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

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Chapter 4  
Traverse Town

"Look, a star's goin' out!"

Goofy pointed up at one of the many stars in the night sky. He was right. It was definitely vanishing. Donald stared up at it, his beak agape in shock. The two friends watched in alarm as the star shone brightly for one final moment, and then vanished without a trace. Donald lowered his eyes and fixed his gaze on Goofy's face. "Come on, let's hurry."

Goofy nodded at Donald in agreement. Donald led the way, Goofy still looking wondrously upwards into the starry night sky. Donald and Goofy, along with the king's dog Pluto, had finally made it to Traverse Town. After all, the king had told them to go to there to find this "Leon". They'd given themselves a wardrobe makeover as to appear less suspicious to the civilians they were going to encounter. Traverse Town had provided them with the clothes they'd needed.

Traverse Town was very basic in structure. It looked just like any other town that anyone could find in any corner of the galaxy. But this place was where people from any world could go to. It was quite possibly the only place where there were people who knew that there were worlds other than its own. It was almost homely, but just about overrun with people of all different kinds, from different worlds across the galaxy. The town was divided into three major districts, each filled with buildings of different kinds; inns, houses, stores, and even a gizmo shop.

The first district had the most shops in it. The red roofed houses always had their lights on at night, making it very welcoming to the people who had wound up in the town by accident, or if they were worn from a long journey. It was the entryway into the rest of the town. It was there that Donald and Goofy began their search.

"Now, where's that key?" Donald grumbled, his arms folded indignantly over his chest.

"Hey," Goofy suggested, casting a glance at Donald. "Ya know, maybe we ought to go find Leon."

No answer. Donald was clearly annoyed at Goofy's habit of pointing out the obvious. Goofy merely shrugged and smiled. The trio continued walking through the town, walking up a set of stairs in front of one of the shops. Donald stormed up the right side, while Goofy and Pluto were on the left. Pluto had his nose lowered to the ground, sniffing out a trail like a true bloodhound in search of his master.

As they reached the top of the set of stairs, Goofy stopped walking. Donald had turned to the right while Pluto had turned left down an alleyway. He looked first at Pluto, then at Donald, then back at Pluto. He scratched his head thoughtfully, almost knocking his new hat off his head. He then raised one hand objectively in Donald's direction.

"Uh, Donald," Goofy called his companion, pointing toward where Pluto had gone. "Ya know, I betcha that…"

Donald cast a sideways glance at Goofy and waved him off, frustrated. "Aw, what do _you_ know, you big palooka?"

"What _do _I know?" Goofy wondered aloud, putting one finger over his dog lips thoughtfully. Unable to answer the question, Goofy shrugged and turned to follow Donald. "C'mon, Pluto!"

Pluto seemed to be too consumed in the scent trail he had picked up. It wasn't his master's scent, nor was it the scent of any one he knew, but for some reason, Pluto was unable to tear his bloodhound's nose away from its trail. He didn't know for sure, but he wondered if maybe the thing or the person or the creature the scent belonged to was important somehow.

He continued down the alleyway, his nose lowered. He turned the corner and passed a large set of crates piled on top of each other against the wall. He passed a group of barrels in the corner. Pluto continued to walk until he had almost reached a wooden barrier, but before he reached the dead end, Pluto stopped. For there, nuzzled between the wall and a stack of crates and barrels did the scent trail end. Pluto put his nose next to the large yellow sneaker, smelling it, matching it with the intoxicating scent trail he had picked up. Matched.

Pluto stuck his tongue out in a smile and gazed at the prize he had found. A boy, maybe fourteen years old. He had spiky light brown hair sticking out mostly to the sides. He wore a short sleeved black and white jacket with a hood that was blue on the inside and black on the outside. Around his neck he wore a silver chain with an unusually shaped crown pendant. Underneath the jacket was a red jumper of sorts that had a zipper that stretched from his crotch all the way up to his collar. As it went past his hips, the shorts became baggy and popped out like a balloon at his knees. Around his waist was a blue belt, underneath from which a long chain dangled on the boy's left side, eventually hooking into his back pocket. His yellow sneakers were almost clown-like in size and shape.

Sora.

There was something about the boy that reminded Pluto of his master. Maybe it was the shoes. Pluto smiled as he stared at Sora's slumbering body. He then plotted forward and licked the boy's face happily. Sora began to groan at the feel of Pluto's wet "kisses". Pluto retreated briefly, his tongue still lolling out of his mouth in doggish laughter.

Sora forced his eyes open and gazed sleepily at his surroundings, then over at the bloodhound that stood nearby. As his vision began to clear, he recognized the features of the dog. He moaned, shutting his eyes and turning slightly away.

"What a dream," he moaned tiredly, his head rolling back to where it had been.

Pluto's mouth shut, tilting his head to the side. The boy was going back to sleep! Pluto grunted and jumped at Sora, pushing him hard into the wall. The mixture of shock and pain made Sora's eyes shoot open. He was wide awake now. Sora looked back at Pluto, his blue eyes now open wide.

"This _isn't _a dream!" he realized aloud, screwing his eyes up as he looked at Pluto.

The bloodhound allowed his tongue to hang out as he watched Sora use the wall and the crates he was up against to rise to his feet. Sora turned his head around and around, completely lost and utterly disoriented.

"Where am I?" he murmured as he gazed at his surroundings. He was most definitely in an alleyway. And there really wasn't much to see. "Oh, boy…"

It wasn't even like there was any interesting garbage lying around. There was a garbage dump in the corner to Sora's right hand side, but it was very neatly kept. The lid was on and everything. Everything else in the alley was just barrels and crates, stacked somewhat haphazardly on top of one another. All he could see were walls that seemed to be closing in on him. He couldn't see the horizon from here… Sora frowned. He didn't know where this was. He looked over at the dog, which was now scratching an itch behind his ear. Sora bent down, looking into Pluto's face.

"Do _you_ know where we are?"

He didn't really expect an answer from a dog, but he had guessed that there really wasn't anyone else to ask. Pluto smiled up at Sora, not saying a word. Then suddenly, he tilted his head to one side, raising an ear as though he had heard someone far away call his name.

"Hey!" Sora called after Pluto as the dog raced out of the alleyway.

Not quite knowing what else to do or where else to go, Sora followed Pluto as he ran out the alleyway. As he reached the main section of the district, Sora's eyes widened in alarm. The neon lights from the nearby shops and the few scattered street lamps lit the town up, in spite of the darkness of night. Sora looked out into the street and at the people who wandered about. He couldn't recognize this place at all. He'd never seen this town in his entire life.

"This is totally weird…" Sora's eyes went wide when he saw a small white creature with a pink ball sticking out of its head, walking nonchalantly down the street among the other, human-looking people. It was then that he knew. "I'm in another world!"

And then he could hear Kairi's voice ringing in his ears. _"Suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?"_

His head began to spin. _"I don't know,"_ he answered.

Sora took a few wild steps backward, shaking his head slowly from side to side. How did this happen? Did it have anything to do with that orb, and how he had gotten pulled into it? Was _that_ it? Sora's back shoved up against a door, pulling his thoughts back to his setting. He looked up at the sign above the doorway. The shop's name flashed in bright neon lights, but Sora couldn't read it because of the angle he was at. Sora backed up slightly, putting one hand around the doorknob, and entered. Maybe he could get some answers in there.

The shop wasn't the biggest that Sora had ever seen, but it wasn't extremely small, either. To Sora's immediate right was a large stone fireplace, similar to the kind one would find in a log cabin. Beyond that was a shiny black couch and a matching footrest. In the middle of the room was a black display case, filled with rings, charms, and bracelets. On the left side of the room was the counter. It stood out from the others, its surface being colored grass green and all. And there, behind the counter was an old man.

Well, he wasn't really old. He was probably only in his early to mid-forties. He had thin blonde hair that stuck up vertically in an upside down V-shape. On the man's forehead was a pair of black goggles, the kind that pilots used to wear in the olden days. He wore a white shirt and baggy blue pants, with a yellow-orange utility belt wrapped around his waist. He stood as though surveying his shop, a toothpick dangling like a cigarette between his lips and his fists on either side of his hips.

He turned when the door shut behind Sora, his face brightening somewhat at the prospect of a customer.

"Hey there, how can I…" The man's face fell when his eyes set on Sora. "Aw, it's only a kid."

Sora frowned, clenching his hands into fists. "I'm _not_ a _kid_!" he said defiantly as he walked up to the counter. "And the name's _Sora_!"

The man chuckled slightly. "Okay, okay, simmer down. So why the long face, Sora? You lost or somethin'?"

"No!" Sora answered, the word just flying out of his mouth. Then Sora's face fell, his eyes dropping to the ground, confused.

"Well, maybe." He looked up at the clerk, hoping that this man knew what was going on. "Where are we?"

The clerk's jaw dropped open. "Huh?"

Sora frowned, biting his lower lip. And then before he even knew what was happening, Sora was telling the man everything that had happened in the past night. About how a whole world seemed to have gotten sucked up into a glowing orb. About how he had lost his two best friends in the world. About how he had to find them, no matter _what_.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head on somethin'?" the clerk asked, half as a joke and half in concern for the boy's sanity. "This place is called 'Traverse Town'." He leaned forward and repeated himself, slowly so Sora could understand. " 'TRA – VERSE – TOWN.' "

"Traverse Town," Sora echoed. He turned his gaze back onto the man's face. "So, gramps, is this really another world?"

"Don't call me gramps!" the clerk said, giving his nose a quick scratch with his thumb. "The name's _Cid_! Anyway… Not sure what you're talkin' about, but this sure ain't your island." Cid put his hands on his hips as he continued to chew on the edge of his toothpick.

"Hmm…" Sora dropped his gaze. "Guess I'd better start looking for Riku and Kairi," he murmured to himself. He began to turn toward the door.

"Well," Sora could hear Cid say, "good luck with whatever it is you're doing. If you ever run into trouble, you come to me. I'll look out for you."

He looked back at Cid and smiled gratefully. He continued to walk toward the door. Sora pushed the wooden double doors open, casting one final glance at Cid, and walked out onto the street. He put his hands on his hips as he surveyed what he could see of the town. So far, no Riku and no Kairi. There had to be more to this town than just this little district.

Sora turned on his heel and walked down the street. He walked up a set of stairs and turned to his left, where the road was lit up brightly by a group of neon green street lamps. Sora shrugged and began to walk in that direction, and continued to follow the road. At the end of the road was a large set of double doors. Sora stared at the door, disheartened. Maybe he wasn't allowed to go through.

"That door leads to the Second District," came a voice. Sora spun around and saw a man resting near a set of barrels. "Beyond that lies the Third District."

Even though Sora had been surprised, he smiled at the man and nodded.

"Th-Thanks," he said, walking slowly toward the doors.

The man nodded at Sora. "You're welcome."

Sora hurried over to the doors, still slightly rattled by that strange man. He cast a glance back at him, slightly worried that he was a stalker or something. Then, pushing the thought out of his mind, Sora heaved open the door, leaning his weight against it. Sora passed through the opening he created and stepped out into the Second District.

It may have been just the lack of lighting that the First District had, but the Second District seemed to have been washed over in shades of blue and gray. There were two levels; the lower one looked like it was used for large crowd gatherings, as it was mostly empty and flat. The only things decorating the lower level were a few benches against the wall and a small fountain on the wall nearest a set of stairs that led up to the upper level. The upper level didn't have much, apart from a few shops with dimly lit display windows. From the entrance, the upper level split into two walkways; the one on the right led to the set of stairs, while the one on the left led down to a large building that had a series of archways on the roof.

He walked in slowly, just looking at his surroundings, when suddenly he saw a man dash out into his path. The man's face was panicked, and it didn't help when he tripped over his own feet. Sora gasped, and was just about to run over and offer to help him, when a strange sound resounded in the air. It seemed almost familiar, though Sora couldn't quite place it.

The man rolled over onto his back, staring at a spot in the air, his breathing coming in short gasps. Sora watched in alarm as a spot on the left side of the man's chest gleamed brilliantly, and a glowing heart appeared. It hovered over the man for a moment, glimmering brilliantly, as the man's frame began to grow transparent and eventually fade into a dark purple light. At the same time, something that looked like a small black hole appeared not so far from where the man had been. The heart began to haphazardly move toward the black hole until it had merged with it and then vanished. In its place appeared something that looked like a larger version of the monsters he'd seen on the island, but dressed in dark soldier clothes, complete with a shiny metal helmet. It was there for a moment, and then vanished in a flash.

Sora ran out to where the man was, searching the ground for any kind of remnant of him. There was none to be found. What was going on around here!

Just then, the creatures from the island emerged in a circle surrounding him. Sora's eyes went wide in shock. They had appeared again! Sora reached for the Keyblade tucked in his belt… It was gone. His heart skipped a beat. The Keyblade was gone! He didn't have it! What had happened to it? The little shadow creatures began to move slowly forward, closing the circle around him. Sora swallowed hard. The Keyblade… Where had it gone?

Suddenly, the little black monsters all jumped. Sora flinched, bracing himself for the blows. Then, just at that moment, there came a brief flash of light. The monsters were thrown back slightly, and they rolled onto their backs. Confused and disoriented, they waved their limbs in the air in a panic. Sora looked over at them. What happened? He glanced around, dropping his arms, and that's when he realized that the Keyblade had appeared in his hands.

Sora stared at the Keyblade. It was definitely one of the strangest things he'd ever seen before. It had suddenly appeared in his hands… But this was no time to wonder. He could do his thinking after those little black monsters were gone. He smiled, swinging the Keyblade ostentatiously in the air before charging at the little black monsters. And just a few hack and slash moments later, all of them had disappeared in black flames. Sora's smile became a confident grin. How perfect.

Just then, the Keyblade began to flash, and just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished from Sora's grip with a twinkle of small yellow lights. Sora's eyes grew wide in wonder as he looked down into his now empty hands.

"It appears and disappears," Sora mused to himself. "So I… I can just make it appear at will?"

For a moment, Sora stood there, staring at his hands and willing the Keyblade to appear. And, just like magic, the weapon would appear in his hands and then vanish whenever he wanted it to, doing both with a glimmering twinkle of yellow lights. Sora grinned, clenching his fist excitedly in front of him and then dashed down the walkway on his left. He had barely run ten feet when he found himself surrounded again by the monsters. He willed the Keyblade into his grasp, his grin widening as he gripped it with both hands. A mischievous twinkle gleamed in his blue eyes as he stared down the first of the black creatures.

"Bring it on," he whispered.

The creature leapt, its claws outstretched and its eyes burning yellow. Sora leapt out of the way, hopping right over its head. He planted both feet on the ground and spun, Keyblade flashing, slicing through the creature. He wasn't sure if he'd killed it or not, but he'd get back to it later. There were still others. He dodged their attacks, merely shifting out of the way or leaping over them. He enjoyed slicing through them and watching them vanish into black fire. Sora never seemed to run out of energy as he fought them, and as the last black monster turned into nothing but black mist, he couldn't help but smile. He held the tip of the Keyblade close to his mouth and blew over it, like blowing smoke away from the barrel of a gun.

Sora stretched, willing the Keyblade away for the moment, and continued down the walkway. He looked up at the buildings around him. As his eye passed over the word "Inn" above one of the doorways, Sora smiled to himself. He could use a rest. And maybe Riku and Kairi were doing the same! Maybe they were checked into this Inn! Sora pushed open the doors and stepped into the inn's lobby/hallway.

* * *

Donald threw open the doors into the district and looked around. Goofy followed Donald into the district. He put one gloved hand to his forehead as he surveyed the area. 

"Doesn't look like he's here," Goofy muttered, somewhat disappointed.

Donald folded his arms over his chest and began to tap one webbed foot impatiently on the ground. He glared up at Goofy.

"Keep looking!" he quacked.

Wordlessly, Goofy obeyed his feathered friend and walked further into the district, keeping his eyes peeled. Donald followed soon after.

* * *

The hallway was empty. Along the sides were small tables that had flower vases decked on their surface, usually positioned right next to the doors. As Sora took a few steps forward, he noticed that there were three doors, each one a different color and a different type. He wondered briefly why that would be, but shrugged the thought off and continued walking down the hall. Sora looked at each door in turn and made a face. Whoever owned this inn had pretty poor taste. 

Sora made it all the way to the other end of the hallway with no trouble at all. As he came to the clerk desk he decided to ring the bell, just for fun.

"No vacancy," came a voice.

He was somewhat surprised, but grinned soon after. He hadn't expected anybody to be there. As he turned to leave, he noticed a set of brochure packets near the desk, announcing that the hotel was holding a multicultural art exhibit. Sora smiled. That explained the weird doors.

Sora pushed open the doors out of the inn and stepped back into the Second District. He continued on his way, walking up a set of stairs to his left. Apparently, it led to some odd looking building that had three bells at the very top of it. Sora didn't mind. Riku and Kairi could be anywhere in this place. Maybe he'd find one of them hiding in the building.

As Sora was about to open the door into the building, another group of the shadow creatures emerged behind him. Sora narrowed his eyes at them, turning slowly. It was like they were gluttons for pain or something. He grinned, willing the Keyblade into his hands, and charged. His Keyblade clashed with the claws of one of the shadows, disorienting Sora slightly. A second creature crept up behind him and managed a blow to Sora's lower back. Sora winced as he was knocked forward slightly. Gritting his teeth, he spun the Keyblade around, managing to slice both shadow monsters in one swing. One vanished while the other flew into a wall. Sora gripped the Keyblade and ran at the monster again, this time jabbing the teeth of the key into the torso of the creature and watched with some degree of pleasure as it vanished into black smoke.

With a confident little serves-you-right nod, Sora pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

* * *

Donald and Goofy opened the doors of the inn, stepping back out into the main section of the district. Donald grunted angrily, putting one hand to his forehead and looking around as Goofy had done before. 

"Hmph," he muttered angrily. "Where is he?"

Goofy turned in the opposite direction of Donald, took a deep breath, and cupped his gloved hands around his mouth. "Leeeooon!"

* * *

Sora felt like he had just entered a brightly colored clock. The room before him was almost entirely coated in white, yellow or pink, except for three large segments that appeared to be made of stone. They all had some kind of mechanical function. What that could be, Sora would probably never know. What the reason for this entire room was, he would probably never know either. 

He crossed the room casually. There was probably an exit somewhere else in this building. As Sora turned the corner, he caught sight of a set of double doors. He grinned. Well, that was easier than he'd expected.

Suddenly, a strangely familiar sound resounded from behind him. Sora's eyebrows came together, confused, as he tried to figure out where he had heard it before. He didn't have much time to think, however, as the next thing Sora was aware of was his tumbling head over heels onto the ground, and a sharp pain wedged in his back. Disoriented and in pain, Sora dizzily rose to his feet, using the wall to support him, and turned around.

Even _more _monsters! There were about ten of them all together, all of them hopping over each other's heads, regardless of whether or not they landed on top of each other. Sora gasped as they all suddenly jumped at him, all ten of them, in unison, their yellow eyes flashing. He scrambled out of the way, willing the Keyblade back into his hands. He began to swing at them wildly, not really knowing if he was winning. They were, after all, moving together as one unit. Sora pressed his back against the wall as he watched the shadowy creatures tumble all over each other. It was almost fun.

He could hardly help but smile as they tried to jump back onto their feet. Sora tapped the edge of the Keyblade against his shoulder before attacking again, swinging the Keyblade with all his might. It didn't take long for him to dispose of them all. It was just a matter of sending them flying to the other side of the room, slamming them into walls, and doing the best hack and slash job he could.

Sora grinned, pleased, as he glanced around and saw that there were none left. He let out a laugh, putting his fists on his hips and releasing a cocky laugh. And that's when he found himself rolling across the floor again until he hit his head on the opposite wall. He groaned in pain, struggling to peel his eyes open. He'd been hit! Sora rolled onto his stomach and scrambled to his feet, replacing his other hand on the handle of the Keyblade. More of the shadow creatures.

"Where do you guys _come _from?" Sora wondered aloud as he charged at them.

As he took another good swing of his Keyblade, Sora gasped in shock. The monsters he'd charged at had leapt up into the air, high over his head. He stared up at them, bewildered and shocked. His blue eyes widened as they came back down, falling on top of him, claws and sharp elf feet first. They knocked him flat onto the ground. The wind rushed out of Sora's chest as his body was more or less crushed between the weight of the monsters and the floor.

The entire fun factor that he'd managed to find in fighting these creatures was gone. They were really starting to bug him. Sora struggled to kick them off of him, unable to swing his Keyblade from such a position. Once he had successfully knocked them all a decent distance away from him, he quickly scrambled back up to his feet. He got into his fighting stance, taking long, deep breaths in an effort to catch what had been knocked out of him. The energy that had once been boundless in him had finally given in. Sora was losing strength. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hang on. He gripped the Keyblade tightly in his hands.

"Not yet," he muttered angrily.

As Sora launched another attack on the monsters, swinging the Keyblade horizontally in their direction, he was shocked to see them melt into the ground. His jaw dropped open slightly as they wiggled their way around the floor, flat, not allowing Sora to lay a hand on them, no matter how hard he tried. He chased the shadows around the room, jamming the teeth of the Keyblade vertically into the floor in an attempt to hit them. And when they finally rose out of the floor, Sora found himself surrounded by an undulating black wave of monsters with glowing yellow eyes. He yelled in pain as they ganged up on him, clawing at his legs and torso, pushing him into a corner while he swung his Keyblade wildly at them.

By the time Sora was through with them, he was so exhausted he could hardly stand. He leaned against the wall, panting for air, surveying his cuts and bruises. He gritted his teeth angrily. This wasn't over yet. He pulled out one of the Hi-Potions that Kairi had given him and began to drink it. Sora wiped his mouth and put the bottle away, slowly regaining his footing. He headed toward the exit of the death chamber and heaved the doors open.

He wound up in a peculiar little alleyway that was elevated up off the ground. Regaining his strength, Sora walked toward the only opening he could see. There was a drop, but he could definitely see a door down there. Sora smiled and, gathering his courage, hopped down from the ledge to the ground. He hit the ground in a roll and was about to make for the door when he heard that noise again.

By now, he knew what that noise meant. Sora glanced over his shoulder, seeing yet another group of the shadow monsters. Sora smiled nervously, waving in their direction absent-mindedly. This wasn't a good time. Not caring to fight them this time around, Sora shoved open the door and tumbled into the Third District.

* * *

Donald and Goofy emerged from the back door of the Gizmo shop and looked around. Seeing a ladder leaning against the wall, Goofy walked toward it and looked up. It looked pretty broken. Donald walked down the little alleyway in the opposite direction and straight to edge of the ledge. Goofy patted one of the rungs of the ladder before following his companion and peered over the edge at the short drop below, managing to catch sight of something that looked like a black fire fade away. Goofy shrugged it off. He preferred not to think too hard about things. 

The court wizard growled (were it possible for a duck to growl) and folded his arms over his chest. His webbed foot tapped impatiently on the ground. "Not here, either," he groaned.

Goofy sighed and scratched his head. "This could take a while…"

* * *

Sora leaned against the door and breathed. Just managed to get away from that one. He smiled to himself and took his first few steps into the Third District. It looked an awful lot like the Second District, only much smaller. It seemed like this area was most definitely used strictly for performances or gatherings, considering the large, open space that lay out before him, just a level lower. There was a large arched doorway to his left, which must have meant an exit. Probably leading to another district. 

After having taken a decent look at the district before him, Sora stretched and turned around, and found himself face to face with still another group of shadow monsters. He could have fainted right then and there.

"You gotta be kiddin' me," he groaned.

Sora spun around on his heel and pulled the doors open again, sliding through the gap back into the Second District. As soon as he turned back around to make a break for it, his eyes grew wide and he gasped in shock. The monsters that he had run away from in the first place were still there. Sora swallowed hard. Maybe there was no other way. Maybe he really had to fight his way through them all. It had seemed pretty fun at first, but… There were just so _many _of them! Where were they coming from? And why were they attacking him all the time?

He took a deep breath before he barreled through the group of monsters. He ran right beneath their limbs as they charged at him, taking a minor cut to his forearm. He winced, one hand flying up to cover the small wound instantly. Maybe it was about time to head back to First District.

Sora hurried down the alleyway. There was a ledge nearby that he could jump up to. Maybe the one that led up to the inside of the colorful clock. Sora leapt, arms outstretched as he tried to reach the edge. No good. It was just too high. As Sora's feet planted firmly back on the ground, he was pushed into the wall by one of the monsters behind him. He gasped for air when the weight was removed. Finding that he had no other choice, Sora willed the Keyblade into his grip once again and spun around.

"You guys really suck, ya know that?" he snapped as he sent one of the monsters flying backwards into the others.

He glanced around frantically and fortunately spotted another ledge, right in front of him. Sora grinned and leapt at it, the Keyblade clanging against the red bricks as he grabbed onto the edge with both hands. He winced as the monsters leapt back into action, jumping into the air and scratching at his exposed legs. Sora gritted his teeth, adjusting his hold on the edge as he took the Keyblade in one hand and began to swing it at the monsters below him. With some effort, he managed to scramble onto the ledge where he collapsed in exhaustion.

He sprawled out on the surface and groaned. The scratches on his legs and arms were starting to sting something awful. Sora got up in a sitting position and, pulling his legs close to him, rubbed at the scratches until the stinging pain began to subside. After been given time to catch his breath, Sora crawled toward the edge of the ledge on all fours and peered over to where the monsters were collecting. He laughed out loud, pointing one finger mockingly at the monsters below.

"Nyaha!" he laughed. "Can't catch me when I'm up here, can ya?"

Sora grinned and waved, and then gave them a loud raspberry before picking up the Keyblade and slinking out of their sight. He put his fists on either side of his hips and let out a loud breath. This little platform, which was attached to someone's house (who apparently wasn't home), was, in a sense, floating between the building with the gizmos inside of it, and the pathway that led to the doorway to the First District. Sora peered over at the gap that was between the ledge and the walkway. He backed up and leapt across, and then ran down the pathway.

As he turned his attention to the pathway in front of him, he narrowed his eyes at another group of monsters that had appeared not ten feet away. He was getting a feeling that he was going to be seeing a whole lot more of these guys. The shadow monsters leapt forward, their favorite first attack. Sora exploded into action, swinging the Keyblade first to the right, then to the left as he passed the creatures before him. One vanished in a black flame while the other was knocked to the ground, stunned. Sora slid to the side and slashed at the stunned one, finishing the job.

One left. Sora turned his head sharply to glare at the remaining shadow creature. A slow smile appeared on his face. He spun sharply on the ball of his foot and slashed at it, once vertically and once more horizontally, sending the monster flying through the air. Sora smiled, amused, when the monster turned into nothing more than a black flame in mid air.

Deciding not to allow any more of them to sneak up or gang up on him, Sora broke for the doorway that led back to the First District. He pushed it open and slid through, immediately spinning around and pushing the door shut behind him. He leaned against the door for a while, catching his breath. What was going _on _around here? What _were _those things? With a heavy sigh, Sora headed for Cid's shop. After all, Cid _had_ said that if he ever ran into any trouble…

"Still haven't found 'em?" Cid asked as Sora entered the shop.

Sora hung his head sadly.

"Keep your chin up," Cid said encouragingly, giving Sora a thumbs up signal. "Take another look around town."

Sora gaped at Cid in disbelief. His mouth opened and shut as he tried to figure out what to say. Go around town _again!_ But there were monsters all over the town! They wouldn't leave him alone! How was he supposed to properly go around town looking for Riku and Kairi that way? Suddenly, an image of Kairi being attacked by those monsters flashed through his head. Sora lowered his eyes and shut his mouth.

"All right," he muttered. He leaned back against the door, pushing it all the way open and stepping outside as the heavy doors swung back shut. He willed the Keyblade back into his hands and fiddled with the handle between his fingers. He stepped out onto the street. This time, he wouldn't let those monster things scare him. He'd been an idiot for letting them freak him out like that. But now…

"They'll come at you out of nowhere."

The voice had come from somewhere on his left. Sora turned sharply toward it, searching for the speaker. "Who are you?"

A man stepped out from behind the corner of Cid's shop. He was clad almost completely in black, from his black leather boots to his black leather jacket. His pants, black in color, were tied to him by a series of black and brown belts wrapped around his waist. Similar brown belts were wrapped around his lower left arm, though they were obviously smaller in size. His hands were tucked snugly in a pair of black leather gloves. An off-white shirt could be seen from underneath his jacket, making the man's lion-shaped pendant more visible. The symbol on the pendant was also found embossed in red on the sleeves of his jacket. His jacket collar stuck up vertically, as though there was cardboard inside of it. The man's spiky brown hair shaped itself around the collar as it hit his shoulders, his bangs over his baby blue eyes.

He gazed sternly in Sora's direction, his face never changing expression. The seriousness in his voice and expression was almost frightening.

"And they'll keep on coming at you," he continued, raising one finger at Sora's weapon, "as long as you continue to wield the Keyblade." He then dropped his hand and looked away, his expression changing for the first time to that of confusion. "But _why_?" he murmured, putting one gloved hand to his forehead in thought. "Why would it choose a kid like _you_?"

"Hey, what's _that _supposed to mean?" Sora snapped, somewhat annoyed.

"Never mind," the man said sternly with a shake of his head, his spiky hair swishing into his face. He took a few steps forward, holding one hand out. "Now, let's see that Keyblade."

"_What_?" Sora yelled, his eyes widening in a combination of shock and rage. He gripped the Keyblade even tighter as he got into his fighter's stance. "There's _no way_ you're getting this!"

The man's footsteps came to a halt. He dropped his hand and straightened. "All right, then have it your way."

It was then that the man pulled out his weapon as though from thin air, the way Sora could. His weapon's handle looked like that of a black pistol, only longer and with a chain sticking out from the end. A pendant, matching the one the man wore around his neck, dangled from the end. Where the barrel of a gun was usually found was a long silver blade. It gleamed almost maliciously in the artificial glow of the streetlamps as the man raised the weapon and tapped his shoulder with the blade. His face changing back to one of grave seriousness, the man swung his weapon in the air in front of him, ready to fight.

Sora gritted his teeth, clutching the Keyblade tight in his grip, and charged. The man's blue eyes burned as he watched Sora's every movement, and as Sora came within reach, he slipped to the side, dodging the charge. Switching his weapon from his right hand to his left, the man smacked Sora's back with his fist. Sora stumbled forward, trying not to trip and fall on his face. Catching himself with his hand, Sora spun around and back onto his feet. The man stood with his back to Sora, just barely looking over his shoulder, his weapon in his left hand.

"You… You're good," Sora murmured angrily, mostly to himself.

Gripping his weapon in his hands, Sora sprang forward, exploding into action, his blue eyes locked with those of the strange man. The man would swiftly and effortlessly dodge all of Sora's attacks, regardless of whether the weapon came from above or below. Sora would jab and slash with every ounce of strength he could muster, yet the man would move effortlessly out of the Keyblade's path with perfect timing. The man never even attacked. His weapon remained in the clutch of his left hand, perched on one shoulder. Sora was becoming furious. He couldn't even touch the guy, and he was holding back! Not only was he holding back, he wasn't fighting him at all!

Sora began to force the man backward, pushing him over to a set of nearby steps. The man was hardly fazed by the change at all. He merely walked backwards down the steps, his eyes never tearing away from Sora's flashing weapon, still dodging and blocking his attacks. Sora frowned, his eyes narrowing, his eyebrows coming together in frustration. He gripped the Keyblade and swung vertically in the air, charging forward. The man slid out of the way, and Sora stumbled down the set of steps. He spun around quickly to face the man. His eyes grew wide in shock.

The man had extended one hand outward, palm facing Sora, and small flames began to spin into the palm of his hand, creating a ball of fire. As the ball shot out from the man's palm, Sora held out the Keyblade to block the attack. The fireball hit the side of Sora's Keyblade with a loud clang, sending the boy backwards a few feet, the soles of his sneakers rubbing against the red cement floor. The fire singed some of Sora's spiky hair, but was, for the most part, successfully blocked.

"You don't stand a chance," the man said sternly, walking down the rest of the steps slowly, his hand lowered.

Sora's eyes snapped open, flashing angrily. He leapt to his feet, his grip on the Keyblade becoming even tighter. Sora sprang forward. The man's blue eyes widened slightly. Sora's attacks became slightly stronger, and they were coming faster than they ever had. He was still able to block them, but they were more frequent and more powerful. The tips of the man's lips curved upward into a small smile. It was time to get serious. The man countered one of Sora's moves, the backlash of which caused Sora to stumble slightly and hesitate. As Sora tried to regain his footing, the man took his weapon in hand and swiped it in the air, knocking Sora back.

He winced as he tried to stop himself from flying too far back, pushing one foot on the floor as a brake. Sora clutched the Keyblade, facing the man again. His eyes strained to keep their focus on the man's figure. His limbs ached as he tried to maintain his fighting stance. He'd had it. The one final blow had already come. His energy had completely drained out of him. It had taken so much just to try to hit the guy. He was… just… too good…

Sora groaned as his vision blurred completely, and the world began to tumble into darkness. He was vaguely aware of his own collapse to the ground, but he never heard the final thud.

The man straightened, rising to his feet, willing his weapon away. He looked down at the boy as he slumbered on the floor, sprawled out, one gloved hand still clinging to the handle of his weapon.

"Hey, you found it. Nice going, Leon!"

Leon turned at the sound of the familiar voice, looking over his shoulder at his young "partner in crime," a young female ninja by the name of Yuffie. He looked away from her face and back over at the slumbering Keyblade wielder. Yuffie walked over to Leon and peered over his shoulder at the boy.

"Still… It looks like things are worse than we thought. A _lot_ worse."

Yuffie made a face at the boy. What a little dork.

* * *

It was fairly dark in the alleyway. The only sources of light around were the small lampshades on the balconies of the hotel rooms. They were at least bright enough to cast their light dimly on the opposite wall and on the street below, just barely illuminating the way for Donald and Goofy. 

"Gawrsh," Goofy murmured as he glanced around cautiously. "There's nobody here. Sure is _spooky_!"

"Aw, _phooey_," Donald scoffed. "I'm not scared."

Just then Donald felt a hand tap at his left shoulder, making him scream loudly in alarm and jump several feet into the air. He latched himself to Goofy, his eyes squeezed shut, his entire being trembling in fear and alarm. Goofy's eyes went wide as Donald's weight became a part of his own, and he was pulled slightly downward, almost falling backwards.

"Excuse me," came a soft gentle voice from behind them. "Did the king send you?"

Donald's eyes opened wide at mention of the king. Both he and Goofy looked over at the speaker. There stood a fair young lady, dressed in a long pink and red dress and brown boots. Her long, curled light brown hair was tied back into a ponytail with a red ribbon. Around her neck was a thin black choker. The many bracelets around her wrists jangled as she withdrew her hand from where Donald had once been standing. Her bangs fell neatly over her sea-green eyes, and her lips were curved upwards into a soft smile, a smile that deepened slightly as she looked at Donald and Goofy, her hands folded in front of her.

The court wizard slid from Goofy's shoulders and looked up into the young woman's face.

"Yeah," he said with a nod and salute. "Are you… Aerith?"

The young lady smiled.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know that I probably didn't do Cid altogether that much justice (Yuffie too, probably), but my knowledge of FF7 is faded and limited. Anyway, everyone welcome back Aerith! Yay:D 

Most difficult and annoying thing in this chapter: constant battles with the Shadows. But hey, didn't it feel overwhelming when you were playing? I mean, every corner you turn in Traverse Town, more of 'em appear. I tried to nail all the spots in Second District that you possibly _can _get ambushed by Heartless - the entrance, along the walkway near the inn (3 spots, but I only used 2, i believe), the Gizmo shop (that is such a death trap. but good for training), and in the alleyways.

I kinda switched around the entrance to Third District and the Dalmations' house. Just because. And besides, I doubt I'll be getting into the whole dalmation thing... too hassle... Another thing - I had to create some kind of reason why the Keyblade comes out of thin air. The whole, making it appear at will thing worked very nicely. And so that shall be the system for... pretty much everything that comes out of thin air.

Okay, enough rambling. :D Get ready for the next one, folks!


	6. Heartless

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some stuff).

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 5  
Heartless**

_Traverse Town_

"_Come on, lazy bum. Wake up!"_

Sora groaned, sitting up slowly, rubbing the spot that ached on the back of his head. He shook his head vigorously from side to side as he peeled his blue eyes open, one after the other. The vision he saw before him had to have been the greatest but most pleasant surprise of his life.

Standing with her hands on her hips by the bedside was Kairi, staring down at him with a slight smile on her face, her head tilted to one side. She leaned forward slightly as soon as Sora's eyes opened. "You okay?"

His hand dropped from the back of his head, propping himself up with both hands. He smiled and nodded at Kairi. "I guess…"

Kairi straightened, one hand dropping from her waist, all her weight shifted to one leg. She looked away, out the nearby window as her smile slightly faded. "Those creatures that attacked you are after the Keyblade," she said coolly. "But it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade."

What did that mean? Sora's eyebrows came together in confusion. What was she talking about? In spite of his confusion, Sora smiled at her.

"I'm so glad that you're okay, Kairi."

Her head snapped around to look at Sora, confused. "'Kairi'?" she echoed, turning around to face him completely, both hands back on her hips. "Who're you talking about? _I'm _the great ninja Yuffie."

Sora blinked in confusion, taken aback. _What?_ He shut his eyes and shook his head vigorously from side to side, waking himself up and clearing his head. After a moment, he reopened his eyes. There really was no Kairi here. Only a girl with short, black hair with a white headband and purple-gray eyes. She was dressed in a green sleeveless midriff top that had blue straps going over her shoulders. Her neck was wrapped in a long yellow scarf that draped over her shoulders. Her arms were wrapped in black fishnet sleeves, disconnected from her top, and were encased in a pair of brown leather gloves at the hands. She wore a pair of white shorts with a blue belt hanging loosely around her waist, and her legs were wrapped in long white stockings that never touched the hem of her shorts, but did slip into her brown boots.

The girl named Yuffie smiled helplessly at Sora, leaning forward slightly to look carefully into his face. She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully as she looked at him. After a moment she sighed and turned to look over her shoulder.

"I _think_ you might've over_done_ it, Squall," she called.

A man stepped out from the shadows of the room. Sora narrowed his eyes. The man from earlier that he had fought. But he looked much calmer now than he had then, except for the slight annoyance that tainted his face as he looked at Yuffie.

"That's _Leon_," he corrected her sternly.

Sora's attention drifted slightly, as his eyes caught sight of a familiar object propped up against the wall near Leon. "The Keyblade…"

"Yeah," Yuffie said slowly, moving toward Leon. She raised one finger in the air as though to make a point. "We had to get it _away _from you to shake off those creatures." She stopped and spun around to face Sora once she was lined up with Leon, putting her hands on her hips. "Turns out, _that's_ how they were tracking you."

"It was the only way to conceal your heart from them," Leon said matter-of-factly as he folded his arms over his chest. "But it won't work for long. Still, hard to believe that _you_ of _all_ people are the chosen one."

Sora looked up at Leon and narrowed his eyes, annoyed. He watched as Leon bent over and took the Keyblade into his grip, then swung it once horizontally in the air. Almost instantaneously, the Keyblade broke into bright white lights, vanishing from Leon's grip and reappearing in Sora's. Sora's eyes widened in surprise as the Keyblade appeared with a brilliant flash of light in his hand. He then smiled slightly and raised the Keyblade in the air, examining it.

"Well," Leon sighed as he took a few steps in Sora's direction. "I suppose beggars can't be choosers."

Putting the Keyblade down in his lap, Sora looked up at Leon, somewhat angry. For one thing, what in the world was that supposed to mean? And for another…

"Why don't you start making sense!" Sora yelled. "What's going on here?"

* * *

"Okay," Aerith said as she seated herself on the edge of the hotel bed. "You know there are many other worlds out there, besides your castle and this town, right?" 

"Yeah," Donald replied with a firm nod as he shut the door of the hotel room behind him. He trotted into the center of the room to join Goofy where he stood.

"But they're supposed to be a _secret_," Goofy remarked.

He put his gloved hands over his mouth. Had he somehow given it away? So much for protecting the world border. Aerith smiled at the captain.

"They've _been _secret," she assured him gently, "because they've never been connected. Until now." Aerith's expression changed to that of a more solemn nature. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. "When the Heartless came, everything _changed_."

* * *

"The Heartless?" Sora echoed, confused. 

"The ones who attacked you," Yuffie told him, seating herself next to Sora on the edge of the bed. "You remember?"

He gave Yuffie a firm nod. Of _course_ he remembered. They'd only attacked him in a dream, on his own island, and chased him all over this unusual new town. Those things had almost _killed _him at one point. It was hard to forget things like that.

"Those without hearts," Leon said bluntly.

Well, duh! As if he couldn't have figured that out for himself. It was just a _little _bit obvious, considering they were called the "Heartless". Sora gave Leon a funny look, having half a mind to say it out loud. Leon had his head turned slightly so he was looking out the window, not seeing the face Sora had made. It was a good thing, Sora supposed, considering that Leon _had _been the one who won the fight. Just remembering his loss both annoyed and saddened him. It even made the bump on his head sting.

"The darkness in people's hearts," Yuffie continued, leaning back slightly as she ignored Leon's feeble little note. "_That's _what attracts them."

"And there is darkness," Leon finished, tearing his eyes away from the window and looking back down at Sora, "within every heart."

Sora looked up at Leon, and then turned his gaze to the floor. He was still completely confused. Darkness in hearts… What did any of that have to do with what was going on? Just as Sora was about to ask a question, Yuffie's voice suddenly rang out, almost causing Sora to jump.

"Hey," she said, almost cheerfully. "Have you heard of someone named Ansem?"

* * *

"Ansem?" Goofy echoed as he thoughtfully put one gloved hand under his chin. 

Aerith nodded. "He was studying the Heartless," she explained. "He recorded all of his findings in a very detailed report."

"Gawrsh, uh, can we see it?" Goofy asked, holding his palms outward as though ready to receive a stack of papers from Aerith.

Donald folded his arms over his chest, rolling his eyes and tapping one webbed foot on the floor impatiently. As far as Donald knew, a report wasn't exactly what they had come to Traverse Town for. They had come to talk to Leon. On the other hand, it could prove useful for whenever they may run into the Heartless creatures that she was talking about. Maybe having that report wouldn't be so bad.

The young woman frowned slightly, and shook her head sadly from side to side. "Its pages are scattered _every_where," she told them sadly.

"_Scattered?_" Donald exclaimed in alarm, dropping his arms to his sides and looking at Aerith as though she was out of her mind. What did she mean by scattered? What could have happened to a stack of papers!

She looked over at the duck and nodded solemnly. "To many worlds."

"Oh, then maybe the king went to find 'em," Goofy offered, thumping one fist into the palm of his other hand as the idea occurred to him. A classic Goofy grin spread across his dog face.

Both Donald and Aerith nodded, the smile returning to Aerith's face. "Yes," she said excitedly. "Those were my thoughts _exactly_."

"We've gotta find him, quick!" Goofy exclaimed, ready to head for the door.

"Wait!" Donald yelled at Goofy with a loud stomp of his webbed foot on the floor, turning the attention of the group back to him. "First we need that 'key'!"

Goofy blinked a few times in confusion, before remembering what Donald was talking about. Donald frowned. There were times when he really just wanted to smack Goofy upside the head for his denseness, and as it happened, this was turning out to be one of those times. Before Donald could even threaten to act, Aerith's voice broke through Donald's train of malicious thought.

"That's right," she said calmly. "The Keyblade."

* * *

Sora's eyes dropped so that he was looking down at the Keyblade in his lap. He picked it up with one hand and held it up in the air. "So… _this _is the key," he breathed, somewhat in awe as he examined the Keyblade up and down once again. 

Yuffie grinned and glanced over at Sora. "Exactly!" she said with a nod.

"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade," Leon said, turning on his heel and walking to the other side of the room. He glanced at Sora over his shoulder. "That's why they'll keep coming after you, no matter _what_."

Putting the Keyblade back down, Sora's smiling face faded. "Well, I didn't ask for this," he murmured, his gaze on the Keyblade turning from a look of awe to one of remorse.

"The Keyblade _chooses _its master," Yuffie said with a shrug. "And it chose _you_." She looked over at Sora with that, trying to make the situation sound like he had been the winner of a grand prize.

"So, tough luck," Leon continued apathetically, leaning against a door near the opposite wall.

Yuffie narrowed her eyes at Leon. That sure hadn't helped. She turned to look back at Sora, ready to apologize for Leon and for his being, well, the way he was.

"How did all this _hap_pen?" Sora asked her, turning his blue eyes fiercely into her face. Yuffie was taken aback somewhat by the stern gaze in his eyes, then watched his face cloud over with confusion as he looked away. "I remember being in my room…" Suddenly he jumped to feet and gasped, his eyes suddenly wide with horror. "Wait a minute! What happened to my home? My island? Riku! Kairi…" The names of his friends had barely come out in a whisper.

"You know what?" came Leon's voice from the doorway.

Sora's gaze set on Leon, waiting to hear what he had to say. Leon turned his head so he and Sora were looking at each other full in the face for just a moment, only to have Leon look away again, folding his arms over his chest. He shut his blue eyes as though it were painful.

"I really don't know."

His face fell at the words. Leon really didn't care much for tact, now did he? Sora fiddled with the handle of the Keyblade between his fingers, his eyes lowered to the ground. So… what was he to do _now_? He looked over at Yuffie, who was looking at Leon as though trying to figure out what made him tick. Sora then began to move around the room. It had just occurred to him that he had no idea where they were. Not that he knew much of anything about this weird town.

The room seemed to be dominated by shades of green. The walls and the doorways were the most obvious. The rest of the colors in the room simply complemented them. The decorations and furniture were quite simple, almost homely. There were small pictures in wooden frames hanging on the walls, and right above the doorway in which Leon was leaning was a green cuckoo clock. A wooden bird rocked back and forth as it ticked the seconds away. Between the center of the room and another doorway was a round wooden table with a pitcher of water on top. This doorway had the number two inscribed in gold on its surface. Sora narrowed his eyes at the gold inscription. _That_ was weird…

"Where are we, by the way?" Sora asked sheepishly as he looked around.

Yuffie looked over at Sora and smiled. "We're at the Second District inn," she told him casually. She rolled her eyes slightly and let out a light laugh. "We don't exactly have our own place to hide you, so we figured that the inn would be a good place."

Sora nodded like he understood (though he didn't) as he continued to look around. He noticed that there were three doors in the room, total. One seemed to lead to the outside, while the other two must have led to more of the hotel. Leon was blocking the way through one, so Sora walked toward the other.

"It's dangerous out there," Leon warned as Sora was about to put his hand on the knob. "Don't wander off."

Sora looked over at Leon, annoyed. Why should he have to listen to him? He wasn't a little kid anymore! Sora grabbed hold of the handle and began to turn it. It was then that he realized it was locked. Somewhat shocked, Sora began to rattle the doorknob, hoping that it was just stuck. After a moment, Sora began to whack the door with his Keyblade.

"O – pen – up!" he yelled with each strike. "Let – me – out!"

"Just can't sit still, can you?" Leon called again, putting one hand on his forehead as though he was getting a headache.

Yuffie smiled helplessly in Sora's direction. "Hey, think of this as an _adventure_!" she called out, trying to make Sora feel better.

An adventure? He was confused at first, but then slowly his mind cleared. Yeah, this was an adventure, Sora decided to himself with a small nod. Just like the kind… that Riku had always wanted to go on. His spirits dropped. He had to find Riku and Kairi before anything else. Deciding that he wouldn't be let out without Leon's consent, Sora dragged himself back to the bed and seated himself next to Yuffie. She let out a small, nervous chuckle as she tried to think of something else that might cheer him up.

"I've heard that the Keyblade can open all sorts of locks," she offered hesitantly. "Give it a try the next time you find a treasure chest or door lock!"

Sora slowly turned his head to look over at Yuffie. What? It didn't take long for Sora to figure out that she was serious, but just as Sora was about to see if he could unlock that doorway, Leon raised his head and opened his mouth to speak.

"Sooner or later, the Heartless will find you," he told Sora sternly. "You'd best prepare yourself."

"Prepare myself?" Sora echoed suspiciously. For _what_?

Leon looked straight into Sora's eyes, sending a slight chill up and down his spine. "To fight for your life."

The words began to echo in Sora's head, his heart jumping into his throat. His eyes dropped to the floor as his mind raced. To fight for his life…

"Are you ready?" Leon continued.

Sora slowly raised his eyes and looked back at Leon. There was an almost condescending look in Leon's face. It was like he really didn't think that Sora could handle being the bearer of the Keyblade. Not able to take the fact that there was so much that he'd have to do. Narrowing his eyes at Leon, Sora nodded, determined to prove to Leon that he could do this job.

"I'm ready!" he said, rising from his seat and walking up to Leon.

Leon nodded, the expression in his face lightening slightly as he turned to Yuffie.

"Yuffie, let's go join Aerith. She should be there by now with the other visitors."

As Sora was about to ask about the "other visitors", Yuffie suddenly jumped to her feet and took a few wild steps backward, pointing at something in front of her. "Leon!"

His eyes shot wide open as he looked where Yuffie was pointing. Sora whirled around to look at what was there. There, in the spot that Yuffie had pointed to, appeared an armored Heartless. Sora jumped in alarm. He hadn't fought an armored one before…

Leon stepped forward, willing his weapon into his grip. "Yuffie, go!"

Aerith, Donald and Goofy headed for the door, Donald more or less leading the way. As he reached forward to grab hold of the doorknob and open the door, it burst open, smacking Donald straight into the wall with a loud quack. Yuffie ran past Aerith without a word, her eyes wide. Aerith gasped at the sight.

"Yuffie?"

The young ninja ran straight for the door that led back into the hallway, not even looking at Aerith once. Aerith bit her lip and ran quickly after her companion. Goofy looked first at Aerith as she ran out the door, then back to where he had last seen Donald. What should he do now?

Meanwhile, in the other room, both Leon and Sora stood ready with their weapons in hand. Leon took a practice swing in the air. "Sora, let's go!"

Leon charged at the armored Heartless and swung his blade with all his might, sending the monster crashing through one of the hotel room windows and up against the opposite wall in the alleyway. He led the way, running through the broken window and jumping out, planting both feet firmly on the ground in the alleyway. Sora gripped the Keyblade and swallowed before following Leon out the window.

Goofy and Donald hadn't gone anywhere. Goofy pushed the door shut and looked over at Donald warily. The force of the door flying open had pushed Donald so hard into the wall that he had been embedded in the plaster of the wall. Goofy merely looked at him for a while, before it occurred to him to help his friend out.

* * *

"Don't bother with the small fry," Leon told Sora as he quickly began to dispose of the Heartless that got in his way. "Find the leader!" 

Sora nodded firmly, taking a few slashes at the nearest Heartless to make room for himself. These things were definitely tougher than the ones Sora had been fighting earlier. These ones were taller; they were just about his height. They stood upright in their flashy purple armor, their yellow eyes glowing maliciously from out of the shadows of their shiny metal helmet.

Leon looked over his shoulder at Sora. "Let's go!"

With that, both Sora and Leon made a break for it. Sora made sure to keep an eye on Leon, since it seemed he knew where to go. He didn't mind so much; Leon was an amazing fighter. He swung his weapon with ease at the Heartless who made any sort of charge at him, knocking them away. Sora took a cue from him, doing the same to the Heartless that came at him.

They fought their way down a hallway and burst through the door on the end, their weapons flashing, slicing through countless Heartless. Leon led the way through Second District, his attention divided between finding some sort of leader, fighting the Heartless, and keeping an eye on the young Keyblade master. As Leon hacked through a thick group of Shadows, he glanced around Second District and frowned.

"No leader here," he called to Sora, taking a swing at another Heartless and then running toward the doorway that led to Third District.

Sora leapt into the air, trying to break away from a set of Heartless that had surrounded him. He hacked at them angrily, and then spun around to look for Leon. His eyes widened when he realized that he had vanished. "Leon?"

He spun around in place, looking around. Where had Leon gone? Sora looked over at the army of Heartless before him and swallowed hard. This wasn't good. He took a few steps backward as the Heartless slowly advanced toward him. Sora gritted his teeth, adjusting his hold on the Keyblade, and charged forward, taking a good swing at the line of advancing Heartless. As they were knocked backward and crashed into the others behind them, Sora spun on his heel and began to run.

He didn't have a clue as to where he was headed. He merely decided that he'd go wherever instinct told him to go. When he found himself confronted by a wall, he merely turned to whichever direction he could and continued. Even when more Heartless popped up before him, he merely swung the Keyblade left and right, slashing at them, and kept running. Whether or not those Heartless had been defeated, he would probably never know. When Sora found himself in front of a door, he charged through it and tumbled out on the other side. Clambering back up to his feet, Sora ran back to the door and closed it.

Taking a deep breath, Sora turned around slowly and looked around. Looked like he'd ended up in Third District. Maybe this was where Leon had gone. Sora took a few hesitant steps forward and cupped one hand around his mouth.

"Leon!" he yelled into the seemingly empty area.

When no answer came, Sora clenched his fists and ran into the district.

* * *

Goofy ran out toward the ledge of the small balcony they'd ended up on, nearly toppling over the edge. They were elevated high off the ground, too high to hope for a decent escape. He looked around him, finding that they'd tumbled into Third District. Down below the balcony Goofy could see the doorway between Second District and Third, as well as the figure of a young boy running further into the district. The captain then turned around as Donald approached him. As they looked on, a pair of Heartless appeared before them, trapping them in the corner of the balcony. 

"Gawrsh," Goofy muttered as he pulled out a large shield with the king's symbol on the front and cowered slightly behind it. His gaze shifted from one armored Heartless to the other, and back again. "Are _these _the Heartless guys?"

Donald pulled out his mage's staff, gritting his teeth and tapping one webbed foot impatiently on the floor as he glared at the Heartless in front of them. He got into a fighting stance, tapping his staff on his shoulder and then swinging it in the air before him like a sword. He glanced back at Goofy.

"Let's go get 'em, Goofy!"

As Donald raised his staff to cast his Fire spell, the Heartless charged. Before either of them knew it, both Donald and Goofy found themselves flying in the air. They screamed uncontrollably as they spun around in the air, their arms flailing and their legs kicking wildly at nothing.

* * *

As Sora wandered into the middle of Third District, he glanced around warily. No Leon here. Then where in the world had he gone? Just then, he heard screaming coming from above. Confused, he looked up into the sky. His eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped open. For up in the sky, he could see two figures; what seemed like a large white duck and a tall dog, flailing their limbs in the air as they fell out of orbit. They… They were coming straight at him! 

His gaze fixated on their bodies as they fell, Sora tried to move out of the way, but to no avail. Within moments, the two figures had fallen on top of him, and all three toppled to the ground, the wind knocked out of their lungs. Sora gasped for air and groaned, trying to raise himself from out of the bottom of the pile. He looked over at the Keyblade, clutched in his right hand and splayed across the ground before him, and sighed, relieved that no one had landed on it. That probably would've hurt them something awful. Then, with a short glance at the dog and duck that had landed on top of him, Sora rolled his eyes and groaned in pain.

The duck shook his head vigorously from side to side, while his companion tried to get his head on straight. As the dizziness and shock subsided from their minds, both Donald and Goofy glanced down at Sora, then at the key he held out in one hand. Their eyes opened wide at the sight of it.

"_The key_!" they yelled in unison.

Sora looked up at them slowly, lifting the Keyblade slightly for them to see. A small, confused smile appeared on his face as he once again attempted to rise to his feet. Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently, pulling the trio back down onto the ground with a thud. Sora, being on the bottom, winced in slight pain as the weight of the dog and duck fell onto him once again. He pried his eyes open and looked around. As the three glanced around in shock, they saw a series of pillars start to appear, blocking the exits out of Third District. All but the large arched doorway.

Once the ground stopped shaking, all three jumped to their feet and ran toward the doorway, and all three began to bang their fists on the wooden doors. Sora narrowed his eyes at it, taking the Keyblade and swinging it straight into the door. Nothing. He stomped one foot on the ground, cursing his bad luck, and then spun around on his heel.

Right then, a large group of the armored Heartless appeared, jumping about with their armor clanking metallically against itself, their yellow eyes glowing viciously from within the shadows of their helmets. Sora groaned angrily. Leon was right. This was never going to end. As long as he was wielding the Keyblade… He clutched the Keyblade with both hands and charged.

Donald and Goofy looked over at Sora, watching him run forward and swing the Keyblade viciously at the army of Heartless. Goofy looked down at Donald.

"Y'know, I think we oughta help him," he said, grabbing onto his shield.

"For once, you're right," Donald agreed, raising his staff and starting up a spell.

At first, Sora didn't notice that they were helping him. As he fought his way through the Heartless, he took a bit of time to watch them. The dog didn't seem like he would be able to fight, since all he was holding was a shield, but Sora was surprised to watch him barrel through the swarms of Heartless with his shield, and whacking them with the edge of it. As for the white duck, he seemed to mostly stand back and cast magic spells. He did, however, run into the action with his magic staff flailing, working as quite an effective weapon.

"Look out!" someone yelled in a hoarse duck voice.

Sora turned his head and noticed, almost a moment too late, that one of the armored Heartless had snuck up on him from behind. His eyes went wide in shock, trying to get his feet to move him out of the way. He swung the Keyblade clumsily, losing his balance and falling onto his butt. That's when it happened. A shield popped out from the corner of Sora's eye, knocking the Heartless out of the way. Goofy stepped into Sora's field of vision and looked over at him. He extended one gloved hand toward Sora.

"You okay?" he asked, offering to help Sora to his feet.

"Yeah," Sora said hesitantly, taking hold of Goofy's hand and rising to his feet. "Thanks."

The dog captain smiled at Sora and gave him a thumbs up. Sora smiled back. Just as he was about to introduce himself, a loud, almost incomprehensible voice resounded from the other side of the area.

"We did it!" Donald yelled excitedly, running toward Goofy and waving his staff in the air. "We beat 'em all!"

"What?" Sora looked around. The duck was right; all the Heartless were gone. He blinked in shock. That was fast. "So, what next?" he wondered aloud, taking a few cautious step forward.

"Don't ask me," Donald snapped, turning around and eyeing Sora suspiciously.

"Gawrsh! Look up there!"

Both Sora and Donald looked over at Goofy, who was pointing one of his long gloved fingers up into the sky. Whatever he was pointing at was coming toward them, its shape growing bigger and bigger with each passing moment. As all three of them looked on, they realized that there was more than one object falling from the sky.

None of them had any idea what they were until they hit the ground nearby, shaking the floor so violently that all three of them toppled over. They were five large objects all of them dark purple colored pieces of armor; two arms, two legs, and a torso. They each bounced off the stone flooring and spun in the air before each limb attached itself to the torso piece. As soon as they had attached, another piece tumbled from the sky and landed with a loud clang on the top of the torso; the head.

Sora clambered to his feet, gripping the Keyblade in his hands and stared up at the giant suit of armor. He watched the limbs detach from the torso and begin to float around the "arena", surrounding the trio and forcing them into the center. Their backs pushed against each other as they each stepped backward.

"Aw, man, this is _bad_," Sora groaned.

"What do we do?" Goofy yelled, his voice shaking as his grip on his shield tightened.

He took a deep breath before answering. "We gotta fight it," Sora said firmly.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Donald muttered under his breath.

"Well, we don't really have a choice, right?" Sora snapped, glancing over his shoulder at Donald. "So let's work together on this, okay?"

Both Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement.

Sora watched the pieces of armor float about in a wide circle around them, his eyes fixating on one of its arms. He carefully watched it in its orbit, waiting for his opening. After a moment, Sora tightened his grip on the Keyblade and dashed at the arm, leaping into the air and unleashing an airborne blitz on it. Goofy and Donald watched him for a moment, somewhat in shock.

"C'mon!" Donald yelled, raising his staff in the air. "Let's go, Goofy!"

Goofy and Donald ran forward, their weapons raised, joining Sora in his attack. They each jumped at the arm, swinging their weapons madly into the metal surface of the armor. They would jump one after the other, striking the dark purple metal with all their might.

It didn't take long for them to remember that there was more than one piece of the armor to attack. As they attacked the one arm, Sora was struck in the back by the other. He was knocked forward, almost falling on his face. He groaned in pain, spinning around on his heel to face the other arm. It was throwing punches in his direction! Sora backed up quickly, holding the Keyblade in front of him, its tip pointed at the arm. As the arm took a swing, Sora ran out of the way, leaping into the air and attacking the arm.

Donald's webbed feet planted firmly on the ground as he fell out of the air and looked up at the arm. He and Goofy had finally defeated the piece of armor.

"One down!" they shouted joyously in unison.

The armor shook violently, creating the most awful noise of metal scratching against more metal, before finally exploding into what seemed like purple dust and vanishing into thin air. Then and only then did Donald and Goofy take a good look around.

It seemed like each part of the armor had gone crazy. They all wandered about the district of their own free will, randomly attacking, even if the nearest opponent was a good ten feet away. The remaining arm was throwing punches at Sora while the torso and the head spun around in circles around the area, seemingly trying to hit somebody. The feet stomped about the area angrily, occasionally leaping into the air and stomping back onto the ground with a loud, violent thud.

Goofy yelled in alarm as the feet stomped toward him and Donald, running out of the way with his arms flailing wildly in the air, screaming loudly. Donald jumped away as one great armored foot flew high into the air and stomped the ground nearby, but the sheer force of the thud was enough to knock the duck flat onto his rear end.

"Donald!" Goofy called worriedly. "_Donald!_ Are you okay?"

The duck didn't reply. Gritting his teeth angrily and clutching his staff in his grip, Donald leapt to his feet and charged at the foot while it rested on the ground. He bashed the end of his staff into the armor, screaming so incoherently in his duck voice that no expert linguist would ever be able to understand him. Goofy's eyes went wide at the flurry of angry, incomprehensible words that poured out of Donald's beak. Hell hath no fury like Donald Duck scorned.

Sora leapt into the air and slashed his Keyblade into the arm, creating a large gash in the purple metal. The arm shook violently before exploding into purple dust and vanishing into the atmosphere. Sora ran for the next piece of armor within range; the head and torso. Without a moment's hesitation, he charged at the set and began to hack away, leaping high into the air and unleashing the best aerial combo he could muster.

"C'mon!" Donald screeched.

He ran toward the next armored leg, leaving the one he had defeated single handedly in a fit of rage to explode on its own. Donald grabbed Goofy's arm as he ran past, pulling Goofy to join him in his attack on the next leg. He practically threw Goofy at the leg before running into the action himself, staff raised high in the air. Goofy put his shield over his head as he flew at the leg, wincing at the moment of impact. He stumbled away from the leg, his head spinning, walking haphazardly into the middle of the district. Donald simply continued to attack the leg. His eyes burned with rage. There was just no stopping him.

Planting both feet on the ground, Sora ran to get some distance between him and the armor. He wiped the sweat off his forehead as he ran, readjusting his hold on the Keyblade. It seemed like the torso was the toughest. But it was getting much easier, now that there were fewer pieces to deal with. Sora spun around to face the torso once again, taking a deep breath. This was tiring. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. Mustering up some more strength, Sora made another charge at the torso, leaping into the air and slashing into the armor angrily. He glared at the armor.

"_No fair_!" he yelled as he ran back and jumped at it, swinging the Keyblade. "You can _fly_!"

Both Donald and Goofy had unleashed a flurry of attacks on the remaining leg, even though Donald's anger had slowly given way to annoyance, making his attacks slightly less effective. They would bang on the surface of the metal armor with their weapons and then make a break for it when the leg began to move. Every so often it managed to strike one of them or knock them to the ground, but they would merely get back up to their feet and continue. It took some time, but as Donald cast a Thunder spell on the leg one final time, the leg began to rattle and shake, even as the strings of electricity continued to spark across its surface. Goofy leapt into the air with a round of joyous yelling as the leg exploded into dust. Donald and Goofy looked around.

"Where's that kid?" Donald quacked.

Sora tumbled to the ground and hissed in pain. He let go of the Keyblade for a moment, clutching his sides and wincing, sucking in air through his gritted teeth. That stupid torso thing could really smack a person around. Biting his lip to keep from crying out, Sora tried to stand. He thought he could taste blood. He looked over at the torso, his vision blurred, every muscle in his body aching.

The torso moved closer, starting to spin ever so slightly. Sora merely glared at it, slowly taking the Keyblade back into his hands. He couldn't find the strength to get up at the moment. He could hardly lift his weapon more than a few inches off the ground. He needed help. The torso wasn't very far now. One hit was all it needed on Sora. One hit, and it'd be over. Sora narrowed his eyes.

"You suck," he hissed.

Just as the armor was about to make its final move, Goofy leapt at it shield first, knocking the torso slightly and shifting its attention from Sora to Goofy. Sora's eyes went wide in shock. He'd almost forgotten about those two. As Goofy made a break for the other side of the district, away from Sora, Donald knelt next to Sora, pulling out a Hi-Potion and offering it to Sora.

"Hurry!" he urged, looking back at Goofy.

He grabbed hold of the bottle, wincing slightly at the movement, and began to drink. Donald watched Sora for a moment before his patience ran out and he ran back into the battle to help Goofy. As soon as the bottle was empty, Sora took in a few long, deep breaths, feeling his energy return ever so slowly. He could hardly help but smile. He turned his gaze onto the fight that he could see happening on the other side of the district. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. Gripping the Keyblade in his right hand, Sora rose to his feet and returned to the battle.

They would attack the armor alternately, having Goofy jump up and attack, then Donald, and then finally, Sora. The torso hardly had any time to counter, because as soon as one of them was finished attacking it, someone else would almost immediately come in. Their blitz continued in this way, the torso getting knocked around between the three fighters. Sora grinned eagerly. Thanks to these two, they were going to win. He didn't think he had ever worked this well with someone else in battle.

He and Riku… Even if they worked as a team, they were still competing with each other. Trying to see who was better. Who would reach his goal fastest. Who dealt the final blow. It was always a competition between them. Sora couldn't think of any exceptions.

Suddenly the torso began to shake violently, more so than the other pieces had. It shook and rattled, grinding sheets of metal against each other, sparks flying from the friction. The trio merely watched with wide eyes, stepping backwards, away from the armor, just in case it erupted and sheets of dark purple metal went flying in every which direction. Then, just as quickly as the shaking had begun, it stopped. The head piece dropped onto the armor with a clang, and then tumbled from there onto the ground with a loud metallic thud.

The entire armor then began to glow, and Sora watched as a glowing heart appeared from within the torso of the set of armor. His blue eyes remained focused on the heart as it floated up into the sky, vanishing from view. The torso shook one last time before it vanished into a series of soft purple lights.

All three fighters dropped to their knees in exhaustion.

* * *

"So, you were looking for _me_?" Sora asked, pointing at himself in shock.

Donald and Goofy nodded firmly. "Uh-huh!"

"They, too, have been seeking the wielder of the Keyblade."

Everyone turned around to see Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith walking towards them. Leon folded his arms over his chest as he came to a halt a few steps away from Sora. Yuffie nodded in agreement to Leon's statement, her face lightening into a kindly smile as she looked at Sora. The young Keyblade wielder tilted his head curiously to one side as he looked at them. That Leon came and went like the wind. Sora wondered whether or not he should have asked Leon where he'd vanished to.

"Hey," Goofy said as he looked at Sora, his face brightening. Sora spun around to face Goofy. "Why don't you come with us? We can go to other worlds on our vessel."

Sora's face fell as he dropped his gaze and hung his head slightly as images of two very special, familiar faces flashed in his mind. "I wonder if I could find Riku and Kairi," he wondered aloud.

Yuffie and Aerith exchanged glances, Aerith clutching both hands close to her heart. Leon shut his eyes sympathetically, turning away slightly. Yuffie looked at Leon for a moment, but almost immediately turned away. Sora squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Anything could have happened to them by now. And the last time he'd seen them… They had been acting weird. Something was wrong. And if they were still like that, then…

After a moment of silence, Donald looked over at Sora and smiled. "Of course."

Sora's head snapped up in shock, looking over at Donald, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He couldn't mean that! Could he?

Goofy looked down at Donald and leaned closer to him, giving him a suspicious look. "Are you sure?" he whispered.

Donald rolled his eyes as he turned to Goofy, cupping one hand around his beak. "Who knows?" he whispered back. "But we need him to come with us to help us find the king."

Leon walked slowly over to Sora and put one hand on his shoulder. "Sora, go with them," he told him sternly. "_Especially_ if you want to find your friends."

Sora's gaze dropped sadly to the ground once again. "Yeah… I guess."

"But you _can't_ come along looking like _that. _Understand?" Donald quacked, wagging one finger in the air. Sora slowly turned his eyes to look at Donald. What did he mean?

"No frowning," Donald continued, his expression softening sympathetically as he looked at the boy. "No sad face, okay?"

Goofy laughed and leaned toward Donald. "Yeah," he pitched in. "Ya gotta look _funny_, like _us_!"

As Goofy began to laugh to himself, Donald made a face and pushed Goofy away from him. He turned his attention back to Sora. His annoyed expression vanished as he returned to trying to cheer Sora up. "_This _boat runs on _happy _faces!"

Sora didn't look up. He kept his gaze set firmly on the toes of his sneakers. They looked old and worn. They were starting to get really dirty. "'Happy'?" he echoed skeptically.

Everyone looked over at Sora expectantly. Donald and Goofy gave Sora their funniest faces in an attempt to cheer him up. Sora didn't move. His head was still hung sadly in silent defeat, but everyone continued to wait for a response. After a moment of expectant silence, Sora looked up at Donald and Goofy with the biggest, strangest looking grin he could make. His eyes were rolled up toward the sky so that his blue eyes could hardly be seen, to the point that the smile he'd made was on the verge of terrifying. Goofy and Donald's jaws dropped in shock, their eyes going wide in alarm.

Sora rolled his eyes back downward to look at Donald and Goofy, his grin shrinking slightly upon seeing their reaction. He immediately dropped the scary looking grin, and looked at Donald and Goofy worriedly. Maybe that wasn't quite what they were expecting.

Goofy and Donald suddenly cracked up. The area was filled with the sound of their hysterical laughter. "That's one _funny _face!" Goofy managed to get out between laughs, pointing at Sora's face.

Relieved, Sora gave them a real smile and nodded. "Okay, why not? I'll go with you guys."

Once they had calmed down enough to talk properly, Donald looked up at Sora and smiled, holding out one hand. "Donald Duck," he introduced himself.

"Name's Goofy," said the captain of the guard, putting his hand on top of Donald's.

Sora looked down at their hands and followed suit, putting one hand over Goofy's. "I'm Sora."

"All for one and one for all," Goofy chuckled.

It looked like the start of a beautiful new friendship.

* * *

The 3-D image of the new trio of heroes glimmered in the dim light, a hazy green tint over it. The hologram hovered in the middle of the darkness, its dim, eerie green light cast on the figures of five very different looking creatures. Six pairs of eyes glared down at the image before them, their blood boiling in anger at the sight of the rise of three new heroes. 

"_That little squirt_ took down that Heartless!" one voice roared furiously from within the darkness. "Who'd have _thought_ it?"

"Such is the power of the Keyblade," hissed another as he slowly turned his snake eyes on the previous speaker. "The child's strength is not his _own_."

"Why don't we turn him into a Heartless?" suggested someone, her voice bubbling with her own wicked cackle. "_That_'ll settle things quick enough."

"And the brat's friends are the _king's lackeys_," someone else shouted in outrage. He looked back at the glowing three-dimensional picture, his blood-shot pirate eyes narrowing at the sight.

"Swoggle me eyes!" he exclaimed. "They're _all _bilge rats by the look of them."

"You're no prize yourself," retorted yet another, throwing his head back as he released a round of wicked, burbled laughter.

"Shut up!" screamed the pirate angrily, shaking his hook in the other's face, the dim green glow of the image reflecting off the sharp, curved metal.

"Enough," someone called from a different part of the room.

The other five figures turned slightly to look at her. One could say that she must have been their leader. She stood in an almost regal stance, but her appearance suggested a dark dragon. Her yellow-green eyes seemed to glow from out of the darkness, tinting the color of her skin to a sort of green-gray. Her red lips curved into a wicked smile as she stared at the hologram, her long, thin fingers fiddling with the clutch of her staff. She moved forward slightly, her black and purple robes flowing across the stone flooring.

"The Keyblade has chosen him," she continued, her deep voice slow and thoughtful. "Will it be _he _who conquers the darkness? Or will the darkness swallow him?"

The other five creatures in the room exchanged glances. Their eyes were at first wide in confusion, but it soon gave way to malicious gleams and smiles. This little boy posed a threat to their plan. But he was just a little boy. There were plenty of ways to turn someone like that to their side. The darkness was strong. The chances of that boy's resistance were slim.

The leader smiled maliciously to herself as she watched the boy talk to his newfound friends.

"Either way, he could be quite useful…"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Is this another "pum pum puhhh" moment? Nah, I don't think so. :D Another chapter finished. Donald, Sora, and Goofy have met at last. And the bad guys have made themselves known. If you don't already know who they are, then you can either make educated guesses based on the little clues that I left, or you could wait 'til they one by one get introduced as the story goes. 

At any rate... Apologies for the battles in this chapter. They're... not... that good... but hey, I tried. :) And trying to explain a lot of these events in strict words is tough cookies. That whole Aerith's room/Leon's room thing was pretty weird. It's more a cinematic technique than a writing one, but I wanted to keep it, just to show that the same conversation is happening in both rooms. I hope you liked this chapter all the same. :D

This was another time where I reached a point in which I thought of stopping, but then I realized that I'd already gotten this far... might as well keep going. So... I've reached the point of no return, folks. This book's gonna be a _long _one.

P.S.If you ever came across two words that were stuck together weirdly, like no space in between... my apologies. I seriously don't know _why _that's happening, and I try to fix it, but it just... happens. So apologies for all the ones that you've already come across... and apologies also for the ones that have yet to pop out of the blue.


	7. Setting Out

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some stuff).

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the review, Phantasmal Abduction! I intend to keep on writing, thank you very much. :p I'll continue to do my best to keep up the quality of the story. I hope you keep reading! Still a lot more to go... Thanks very much for the support!

_

* * *

_

_**Chapter 6  
Setting Out**_

_Traverse Town_

"Make sure you're prepared for the journey ahead of you," Leon said sternly, his arms folded over his chest as he looked at Sora. "We don't know how far the Heartless have spread."

Yuffie smiled and gave Sora a pat on the shoulder, making Sora look over at her. "Check out the shops here," she offered cheerfully. "They've got some pretty _neat_ stuff!"

"This is from all of us," Aerith said softly, holding out a small sack. Sora took it with both hands and peered inside. The bag was filled with small golden orbs, ranging in size, each of them labeled with numbers that ranged from one to twenty. Sora could only assume that it was money of some kind. He looked up at Aerith, confused. She merely smiled warmly. "Spend it as you see fit."

He was right. It was money.

"Good luck!" Yuffie chirped.

"I hope you find your friends," Aerith said, gently putting her hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Look out for each other," Leon said even more sternly than before. He gave a firm nod as he looked at Sora straight in the eyes. "Keep your spirits up."

Sora looked at Leon, then Yuffie, then Aerith, and then back to Leon. Ever since they'd defeated the giant suit of armor, all that the three of them had done was tell him all about his duties as a "new hero". They'd been stopped in the middle of First District for a while now, Sora listening to everything that they had to say, just as Sora, Donald, and Goofy headed for the Gummi ship. He nodded firmly in response to everything, tucking the bag of money away. He watched and absent mindedly waved good-bye as the three "teachers" left them on their own. Sora stood perfectly still, somewhat dumbfounded and in shock by what had just happened.

Donald cleared his throat and tugged at Sora's arm. "The Gummi ship is outside that gate." He gestured toward a large doorway standing not twenty feet behind them.

Sora turned to face Donald and Goofy slowly. "The _what_?"

"That's our ship," Donald said with a firm nod. "We travel to different worlds on the Gummi ship."

Goofy grinned widely. "Wait 'til you see it!"

"Okay, then," Sora said, a smile growing across his face. "Let's get going! I can't wait to see this ship of yours!"

The duck grinned as he turned to lead the way to the large doorway. He marched proudly, swinging his feathery arms back and forth with each step that he took, his beak help high up in the air. And as he walked proudly and slowly toward the doorway where the Gummi ship was waiting, two somethings rushed past him quickly, the force of their fast movement causing Donald to stumble slightly. When he looked up he saw Sora and Goofy, both with excited expressions on their faces, opening up the doorway. Steam could have blown out of Donald's ears. Here he was, trying to put on a big impressive show for the kid, and there was Goofy, blowing Donald's plan to pieces.

Sora shoved the doorway open with Goofy. "So, what's the ship _like_?"

"You'll see it for yerself," Goofy chuckled as he peered through the crack in the doorway.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" came Donald's voice, shrill and furious.

"Oh, sorry, Donald," said Goofy apologetically. "I just really wanna show the ship to Sora."

"Yeah, and _I_ really wanna see it!" Sora said excitedly as he slipped through the partially open doorway.

He spun around on his heel once he'd made it through to the other side. There were no lights on this side of the door, except for two that hung on the walls near the doorway. Not much could be seen through the darkness. The lights could only manage to illuminate a ten-foot radius near the doorway. Here, the ground was not paved the way it was in the town. It was left as rocks and pebbles that crunched and ground together underneath one's footsteps. There seemed to be some trees and other foliage near the doorway, but other than what little could be seen beneath the ever night sky and the two lights on the wall, there was only darkness beyond.

One thing that definitely could be seen, even under the dim lights, was Donald and Goofy's ship. It was huge, and reminded Sora of drawings of space ships that he'd seen in science fiction books and in movies. It was colored a glossy red, with a yellow stripe going all the way around the nose of the ship. It had large white wings on either side with smaller ones that probably served as rudders placed above it. A small set of cannons was stuck to the bottom of the ship, though what that could be for, Sora didn't know. Sora could see straight into the cockpit, as it was covered by a large glass dome.

"Well?" Sora could hear Goofy say from behind him. "Whaddaya think?"

Sora could hardly help but smile at the sight of the ship. "It's _awesome_!"

Donald stood next to Goofy and grinned, pride swelling up within him. They stole a glance at Sora, who seemed to be frozen in place. His blue eyes were wide in amazement as he stared at the Gummi ship in all its streamlined red and yellow glory. Sora turned slightly toward Donald and Goofy and pointed at the small cannon.

"Wassat for?"

"Well, y'see, there are these ships that give often a hard time," Goofy explained.

"They must be Heartless ships," Donald quacked grumpily. "We always gotta be on lookout during the flight."

"So we're armed, huh?" Sora's grin grew slowly. "Wow! This is so awesome!"

"You ain't seen nothin' yet!" Donald said eagerly, grabbing Sora's arm.

"Yeah," Goofy added as moved toward the ship. "If ya like the _out_side of it, wait 'til ya see the _in_side!"

An entrance began to appear. Bright white light seeped through newly opened cracks on the ship's surface, outlining the doorway. The outlined shape then popped out of the surface of the ship and began to lower toward the ground, creating a sort of ramp into the ship. Air rushed into the interior of the ship as the door opened, and light exploded from inside the ship. Sora had to shield his eyes until the light dimmed slightly.

The duck and dog turned to each other, grinned and began to pull Sora into the ship. As soon as he had adjusted to the brighter light and was able to see inside, Sora's eyes went even wider in wonder and his jaw dropped visibly.

"_Whoa_!"

He'd never seen anything quite like it before. It was bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside, and it seemed to have a lot more room than was probably necessary. There were three mechanical white-gloved hands attached to the ceiling that were moving everywhere. Giant tanks, engines and gauges of various unknown materials were lined up on two of the walls. The entire room hummed with the sound of the engines revving up. There was a small cupboard on one side near the doorway, and whatever walls were available had at least two pictures, posters, or signs.

The far side of the room that Sora was facing seemed to be split into two parts. One part of the room was filled with various furniture; couches, tables, and even two twin beds. The catch there was, they were much too small for Goofy, Sora, or even Donald to use. It certainly made Sora wonder who _could_ use them, then. On the other side of the room, opposite of the small furniture, was one long couch that seemed perfect for lounging or napping on. And right in between the two parts was a ladder leading upwards. On the wall just behind the ladder was a sign that read "cockpit" with an arrow pointing up.

Goofy laughed to himself lightly. "_Roomy_, i'n't it?"

"Welcome aboard the Gummi ship, kid!" Donald exclaimed with a large gesture of his hands, winking proudly.

Sora ran toward the nearest tank and examined it excitedly. He looked at it, behind it, and under it before running toward a different one and doing the same. He couldn't quite get over the fact that he was in a space ship. It was surreal! Sora continued to dash around the room, examining everything, touching everything, until Goofy began to get dizzy from watching him.

"This is totally awesome!" he yelled out excitedly as he examined everything top to bottom.

As Sora spun on his heel and began to run to the next cool thing he could lay his gloved hands on, something small and fast flew at Sora's face and smacked the underside of his chin. "TAKE_ THAT_!"

Sora stepped backward, trying to balance himself after taking a hit to the face. He rubbed his new bruise sadly. "What was _that?_" he wondered aloud.

"You mind, kid!" came a squeaky high pitched voice. "Dontcha be touchin' this an' that like you _own_ the place!"

Sora began to look around, searching for the owner of the voice. Whoever it was, he sounded a bit like a chipmunk. He wondered to himself whether or not he should tell the owner that. He then wondered if it was a good idea to. Either way, he couldn't see _any_one other than Donald and Goofy around, and he was pretty sure that neither of them had a high pitched voice like that.

"Down _here_! _Below_ you!"

He blinked, stunned, and then looked down near his feet. Sora almost burst out laughing.

The owner of the voice _was_ a chipmunk.

There were actually two chipmunks, but only of them was glaring up at Sora and tapping one of his hind feet impatiently on the floor, making a fast tap-tap-tap noise. Both chipmunks were wearing matching aprons that bore a symbol of a gear with the King's symbol in the center of it. One of them was scrubbing the floor with a small rag, while the one who was glaring at Sora held a mop in one paw, since the other paw was placed stubbornly on his hip.

"_All day _I slave away gettin' this vessel spotless and ship-shape, and whaddya do! You _trash _the place the _first chance you get_!"

He had spoken so quickly in such a high pitched voice that Sora felt somewhat dizzy just listening to him. The second chipmunk glanced up at Sora once and then returned to wiping the floor with his rag, shaking his head side to side and tut-tutting to himself.

"Honestly, kids these days…"

Sora knelt on the floor near them and gaped, half hoping that they weren't going to smack him again if he did so. Donald moved toward them, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "These two are Chip and Dale," he explained. "They're the mechanics responsible for the maintenance of the Gummi ship."

The first chipmunk (the one who had been yelling at Sora) then turned to look at Donald, his black nose twitching as he shook one fist in the air and he opened his mouth. " 'These two'?" he shrieked.

The second chipmunk rose to his hind legs, looked Sora full in the face and waved cheerily. "G'day, mate!"

Donald looked at each chipmunk in turn and then turned to Sora. "The annoying one with the black nose is Chip," he whispered. "The goofy one with the red nose and the buck teeth is Dale."

That's when Chip stamped his feet on the ground with a shrill "harrumph." He pointed first at Donald, then at Sora, then back at Donald. "I heard that!" he screamed. Chip then pointed angrily at Sora's shoes. "Shoes off, boy! I won't have ya dirtying the cockpit!"

Donald chuckled to himself as he grabbed onto the rungs of the ladder and began to climb up to the cockpit. Fortunately for him, he didn't wear shoes. Both Goofy and Sora plopped onto their bottoms and removed their shoes quickly. As soon as he had become barefoot, Sora looked over at Goofy.

"Uhh, where do we put 'em?" he asked.

Goofy looked thoughtful for a moment and then grinned.

"We put 'em over in that cupboard. See?"

He pointed to the cupboard that stood near the entrance before moving to place his shoes inside the cupboard properly. Sora followed Goofy's example as he carefully tucked his shoes into one of the cubbies and turned. He was about to head up to the cockpit when he heard a voice from behind him. Sora spun around and looked at the cupboard and was surprised to see a tiny figure. A small cricket with gloved hands, shiny buckle shoes, and dressed in pirate gear waved at Sora happily from his position on the top of the cupboard.

"Harhar!" he yelled out. "I be Jiminy Cricket, the capt'n o' this skipper! Welcome aboard!"

Blinking in confusion, Sora smiled slightly and waved absentmindedly at the cricket. He didn't understand what had just happened there… He then spun on his heel and followed Goofy and Donald up the ladder to the cockpit. He chose to ignore Chip's yelling as he passed him, simply grabbing the rungs of the ladder and following his new friends into the cockpit. He could hardly wait to see what it was like.

Sora clambered up the ladder, popping out at the top in a dark room that had only one door. There was absolutely nothing of interest in the room, so Sora headed through the doorway and found himself in the cockpit. His breath caught as he looked about. As he had seen earlier, the entire cockpit was encased in glass, which let him see the absolutely breathtaking sight of the stars in the night sky. Sora had entered from the back, from where he could see pretty much the whole cockpit.

It wasn't exceptionally large or fancy looking the way it was on TV and in the movies, but the mere idea of his being in the cockpit of a spaceship had Sora thrilled. There were three chairs lined up in front, the two on the outside set further backward than one. Donald was seated in that front chair (Sora knew almost immediately that it was the driver's seat), and was currently examining all the switches, gauges, buttons and monitors that were spread across the control board at the front. Goofy was sitting in the chair on the right, which meant that Sora was going to have to sit in the seat across from Goofy's.

"Wow, _exactly _three chairs," Sora commented as he took his seat. He fumbled about for some sort of seat belt. "Were you expecting me or something?"

Both Goofy and Donald froze and Goofy looked over at Donald. "Well, uh…"

"Well," Donald said slowly. "There's usually three of us… I mean, we…" He let his voice trail off as his face took on a thoughtful, sad glaze.

The two were silent for a moment before Donald continued with what he was doing and Goofy, too, returned to normal. Sora tilted his head to one side, slightly confused. Then, with a small gasp of realization, Sora lowered his eyes and shut his mouth. It looked like he wasn't the only one who had lost some friends. He looked sadly at the seat that he was in and shut his eyes sympathetically. He hadn't meant to bring up a painful subject…

That's when Sora decided to switch gears.

"What's up with that Jiminy Cricket guy?" he asked as the thought came to him.

"Oh, Jiminy?" Goofy echoed, turning slightly so he was looking at Sora. "The queen told us to take him along with us. To 'chronicle our travels' or somethin' like that." He then chuckled softly, mostly to himself.

Donald rolled his eyes as he waited for the engines to rev up properly.

"Oh, okay," Sora said with a slight lopsided smile. He turned to look out the window.

It was too dark to see any horizon out here. And once they took off, there wouldn't be a horizon to look out to at all. Sora sighed heavily. He missed watching the sunset while he talked with Riku and Kairi back at their island. They'd done that everyday since Kairi came into their lives.

The engines began to roar loudly, and Donald grinned excitedly. He turned around to look at Sora and smiled. "Haven't forgotten anything, have you? If not, fasten your seatbelts. We'll be taking off shortly."

Just the way he had said it reminded Sora of a ride operator at an amusement park. Sora could hear Chip bark out orders from the downstairs, even over the sound of the engines. He spun around slightly to see if he could catch a glimpse of them at work, but could only manage to hear their voices.

"Engines at full throttle!"

"Aye-aye, sir!"

Donald gripped the handles of the steering wheel and leaned forward, his eyes piercing through the endless beyond. "_To the stars!_"

The take off was so sudden that Sora had no time to react. All he really knew was that he was suddenly pressed into the cushion of his seat by the sheer force of the movement. His ears began to ring with the sound of the engines roaring, the change of pressure, and the sound of Donald Duck's excited whoops and yells. It took longer than Sora would have liked, but the pressure soon lifted off him and he practically popped out from within the seat cushion. Sora moaned, clutching his belly.

"Whoa… it feels like I left my guts back there," he groaned, airsick.

"Aw, you'll get used to it," Goofy said sympathetically, chuckling slightly.

Sora leaned backwards and slumped in his seat as low as he could go, the seatbelt catching him before he fell off the chair. He let out a long breath and closed his eyes. This _was_ going to take some serious adjustment. Just then, a tiny figure hopped up from the floor to the armrest of Sora's seat.

"It's Sora, right?"

He groaned and nodded.

"A word with you then? If I may."

It took a moment for Sora's mind to realize that he didn't know who was talking to him. He opened his blue eyes slowly and looked around. He couldn't see anybody in front of him, except for Goofy and Donald (both of whom were too far away to have been the speakers). His eyes eventually caught on the tiny figure of Jiminy Cricket, now devoid of his pirate get up and back in his red vest and shiny black suit. The tiny cricket waved at Sora and tipped his top hat graciously.

"Since I'm supposed to be chronicling your travels," Jiminy said, replacing his hat on his head and seating himself on Sora's armrest, "I thought it would only be right for me to ask you for _your_ side of the story."

"_My_ side of the story?" Sora echoed, adjusting himself in his seat. "You want me to tell you everything that's happened to me so far?"

Here Jiminy nodded. Sora tilted his head to one side and shrugged. "It's a long story."

Jiminy smiled and shook his head slowly from side to side. "Just in a nutshell, if you please." He then pulled out a small notebook and a pen. He looked up at Sora and, seeing the lost expression on his face, laughed slightly.

"It's just a little something to pass the time," Jiminy assured him. "_And _it'll take your mind off being airsick!"

That last comment reminded Sora of his airsickness, and he slumped back down in his seat.

* * *

It had taken quite some time for Sora to recover and try to figure out the most important parts of his story to tell Jiminy. But now that they had been traveling for quite a while, Sora felt most of his airsickness subside and was able to help Jiminy in his chronicling process. 

"Can I, uh, just ask what this is _for_?" Sora asked when they had finished.

"Well, the queen asked me to do this for her," Jiminy replied as he tucked his notebook and pen away. Sora nodded as though he understood, even though he didn't. Jiminy then stood and dismissed himself with a slight bow.

"Sora!"

He turned his head at the sound of his name. Goofy had turned slightly to look at Sora, a smile on his face. "Take a look out yer window!"

Hesitantly, Sora spun in his seat to look out the window. It wasn't like there was a sunset out here, or a horizon of any sort to look out to. But the sight through the glass was just short of breath taking. True, it was nothing like the sunset on Destiny Island, but the sight of the ocean of stars that twinkled brightly, peeking out from within the endless darkness and the large clusters of stars that looked just like the rolling white clouds was still amazing. Sora placed one hand on the cold glass, leaning forward slightly until his nose was only centimeters away and his breath was making clouds of mist on its surface.

"Whoa!" Sora breathed in awe. "Wish Riku and Kairi were here to see this…"

Donald smiled to himself and glanced back at Sora. "We've arrived, kid."

Sora tore his eyes away from the vision out the window and looked over at Donald in shock.

"Eh? _Already_?"

The duck pointed out his window with a grin. "Wonderland!"

Sora looked forward and saw what could possibly be one of the strangest things he would ever lay his eyes on. Wonderland was right.

It seemed like a small planet, which was growing as they approached its surface to land. Sora could see an unusual looking castle and a heart shaped arch. He could see hedges, possibly forming a labyrinth, spreading out all the way around one half of the world. As Sora looked on, it seemed like that part of the world was inaccessible. The other half (where they were landing) was simple grassland. Rolling green grassland and a dirt path that zigzagged across it, on top of which the Gummi ship landed.

Donald unhooked himself from his driver's seat and began to hit the switches and press the buttons. Sora could hear the engines begin to hum as they powered down. He spun around in his seat a few times before figuring out that it was time to get off the ship. Goofy leapt from his seat the moment he had removed his seatbelt and turned to Sora.

"C'mon!" he yelled excitedly. "Get up, Sora!

"Let's get a look at this place!" Donald said, tearing himself away from his control panel and making a break for the ladder downstairs.

"Right," Sora said with a nod, fumbling around for the release of his seatbelt. He grinned. "Hey, hold on a second!"

As soon as he was free of his seatbelt, Sora hurried to catch up with Donald and Goofy. Sora was just about to run straight for the door and throw it open when one feathered hand reached out and grabbed him by the collar. He was yanked backwards and ended up dropping on the floor with a thud and a groan.

"Don't just jump the airlock," Donald warned, moving toward the doorway slowly. "That's a bit dangerous."

"Yeah!" Goofy pitched in. "Ya never know what's out there, so ya gotta be _careful_."

Sora rose to his feet slowly, rubbing his neck and fixing up his jacket (Donald _had_, after all, pulled at it). Donald opened the doorway slowly and poked his head out, looking both ways before he stepped out. He then turned back to Sora and Goofy and motioned for them to come outside, giving them the "all clear".

Goofy stepped outside, Sora following closely behind, and took a look around. The place seemed perfectly ordinary. In fact, it looked almost mundane. All around them was an almost ordinary sight of blue skies and a rolling green field. There were trees speckled across the landscape, and there was a small pond near a field of daisies that bustled with various kinds of birds as they bathed in the water.

"So much for 'Wonderland'," Sora said to himself, somewhat disappointed. He raised his arms casually over his head and then turned to Donald. "So, what now?"

Both Donald and Goofy looked over at Sora, and then at each other. Goofy shrugged helplessly, and Sora could only roll his eyes.

"Great."

Just then, Sora saw something move. He spun around to see what it was and caught a brief glimpse of a short, stout figure running through the bushes. Sora took a few steps forward, following the figure, and then halted. He didn't know whether he should follow it or not.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Donald asked.

He said nothing, but continued to hold his hard gaze. Both Donald and Goofy spun around to look where Sora was looking. Something white flashed over the bushes.

"See that!" Sora yelped, pointing. "What _is_ that?"

The trio waited for a few moments more, haltingly moving in the direction that the creature seemed to be moving, until the creature finally popped out from the bushes and came into full view. Sora's eyes went wide in alarm at the sight of him.

"It's… It's a rabbit!"

A rabbit indeed. A _white_ rabbit, to be exact. He ran on his two hind legs and was wearing a bright red tuxedo jacket with a washed out yellow blouse underneath and gray trousers. He held an umbrella in one hand (or should that be a paw?) and a large golden pocket watch in the other. His eyes seemed bloodshot from lack of rest as they stared out through the small pair of horse spectacles that was perched on his red rabbit nose and the fur on the top of his head was ruffled and messy. He kept looking down at his watch, which seemed to cause him further distress, and then continue running.

Donald shrugged, turning away slightly as Sora and Goofy looked on. "Aw, it's just a rabbit in a waistcoat." His eyes suddenly widened and he took a double take. "And a _watch!_"

The white rabbit looked back down at his watch and his eyes widened further, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Oh my fur and whiskers! I'm late I'm late I'm late!"

Goofy tilted his head curiously to one side. "What could a _rabbit_ be _late _for?"

Sora shook his head from side to side, finally snapping out of his funk. "Hey, you! Wait!"

The rabbit didn't stop. In fact, he only quickened his pace. He turned back slightly to look at Sora and shook his head vigorously, pointing at the watch face in a panic.

"No no no no no no no, I'm overdue! I'm really in a stew! No time to say 'goodbye'! _Hello_! I'm late I'm late I'm late!"

Sora slowed slightly, stunned by how quickly the rabbit was speaking and by his mixing up of the words "goodbye" and "hello". At least, he was _pretty _sure that the rabbit had meant to say them the other way around. Pushing the thought aside, Sora raced after the rabbit. Donald and Goofy exchanged glances and shrugged, and then followed Sora.

"Ya think he's goin' to a party?" Goofy asked Donald curiously.

The duck merely sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Sora yelled again. "Wait up!"

With one final glance backwards, the rabbit ducked into a rabbit hole in the side of a small hill. Sora screeched to a halt in front of it and got down on his knees. He peered curiously into the hole as Donald and Goofy came to a stop nearby. Sora looked up at them, and then back into the hole.

"D'you think we should follow him?"

Goofy got down on his knees and looked into the hole. They couldn't see farther than a few feet in. The rest was completely engulfed in darkness. Goofy cupped his gloved hands around his mouth.

"Hey Mr. Rabbit!" he yelled. The sound of his voice echoed back at them. Goofy looked at Sora and chuckled. "That's a pretty strange place to be havin' a party, huh?"

Donald folded his arms over his chest and grunted impatiently. Sora paid him no heed. He looked over at Goofy and nodded silently, as if to say "let's go", and then crawled into the rabbit hole on all fours. Donald spun around and watched amusedly as Goofy struggled to get his larger frame into the hole.

"You know, Sora," Goofy said as he squirmed inside. "We really shouldn't be doin' this."

"Yeah," Donald agreed. "Curiosity often leads to trouble!"

"And we haven't been _invited_ to his party," Goofy continued with a chuckle.

Sora grinned to himself. "Well, don't _you_ wanna know where he's going? And how could we possibly end up getting in troub – bulllll!"

As the last syllable left his mouth, Sora shifted his weight onto nothing and began to fall headfirst into the dark abyss. Goofy fell through shortly after, releasing a round of his trademark howl. Donald hopped around anxiously outside of the rabbit hole, pondering as to whether or not he should try to help them. With one final stomp of his webbed foot, Donald got down on all fours and began to crawl through the darkness, only to end up falling down an unseen hole as his companions had before him.

The trio's screams echoed up from the endless pit…

* * *

**Author's Note: **This chapter is pretty slow paced until they finally arrive at Wonderland. Hehehe... Of course, including Chip and Dale is a lot of fun. Those two are _nuts_. For their presence here, we have the KH Manga to thank.(I _really_ hope I'm not violating some law. I'm giving them props for it!) 

I went through great pains to put in this movie reference, from asking my classmates if they had the movie on tape or DVD, to finally just looking for the script. It was worth it, though.:D You'll notice that there's exact dialogue from the movie "Alice in Wonderland". And you'll find only more as we dive deeper into Alice's nonsensical world.

And who remembers the melody to that song of the White Rabbit's? "I'm late. I'm late.For a very important date. No time to say 'hello', goodbye! I'm late I'm late I'm late!"


	8. In the Golden Afternoon

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do _not _own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed some dialogue).

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**Chapter 7  
In the Golden Afternoon**

_Wonderland_

"I guess from now on, falling down stairs isn't gonna be such a big deal, huh?"

Sora began to spin around so that his head was once again right side up. He had his arms folded across his chest as the trio began to drift slowly ever downwards. Dim colored lights had appeared farther down the hole that they had fallen through, mostly reds and blues, just enough to light the peculiar objects that decorated the interior.

There were mirrors placed askew on the walls, and end tables with small lights perched on them with the entire set upside down. There seemed to be clocks, since Sora could hear them ticking, but they were nowhere to be seen. There were large, antique world maps and various other random paintings. Nothing made sense in this strange tunnel. Even the large mirror that they had come across was strange, for as Sora fell past it, the mirror showed him falling in the opposite direction. Actually, just the fact that the trio was _drifting_ downwards rather than _falling _was strange.

"What if we fall right through the middle of the planet?" Goofy wondered aloud as he let himself spin around like a pinwheel.

Donald narrowed his eyes at Goofy as he began to flip forward. "We'll end up on the other side, where people walk upside down," he replied mockingly.

Goofy looked over at Donald, his big eyes gleaming in surprise. "Really?"

"No, Goofy," Sora answered, deciding to interrupt before Donald could even think to continue making fun of him. "That kinda thing can't happen."

"Are ya sure?" Goofy challenged them.

Sora laughed as he watched Goofy continue to spin about. Donald merely grunted impatiently, folding his arms over his chest and settling himself down as though he were on a cushioned chair of some kind. Eventually, Goofy lied down as though he were on a bed or a sofa, propping his head up with his arms and crossing one leg over the other. As for Donald and Sora, they remained right side up, just in case they finally touched ground. They floated downward slowly, and eventually, caught sight of a floor. Sora smiled, as he and Donald set their feet firmly onto the floor with no trouble at all. Sora turned to Goofy.

"Hey, Goofy, you better…"

He was too late. Before he could finish his sentence, Goofy plopped down onto the red tile floor with a loud thud. Donald chuckled to himself as Sora flinched slightly at the sound of impact. He only sighed sympathetically and began to move toward Goofy to help him rise to his feet.

As Goofy peeled his large dog eyes open, he saw the figure of the rabbit dart by, just a few inches away from his nose. The white rabbit seemed to have gotten even _more_ stressed out since before they had entered the rabbit hole. He glanced down at his large golden pocket watch once again, leaping slightly into the air in alarm upon seeing the time written on its face.

"Oh dear, oh dear oh _dear_!" the rabbit exclaimed between pants and ragged breathing. "I'm _here_, I should be _there_!"

Goofy sat up on the floor and blinked in confusion. The trio watched in silent surprise as the white rabbit began to zigzag down the peculiar red hallway and as he finally disappeared around the corner, yelling frantically the whole time.

"I'm late, I'm late, I'm _late_!" came his voice as it echoed down the hallway. "Ooh, the _queen_, she'll have my head for _sure_!"

Sora turned to look at the others once the rabbit was out of sight. " 'The queen'?"

Somewhat disappointed, Goofy rose to his feet and sighed. "I guess there's no party then, huh?"

"Looks like that rabbit really _does_ have something important to go to," Donald muttered. "We shouldn't be interfering with his business. That goes against the rules!"

"But aren't you guys curious?" Sora asked.

Donald folded his arms over his chest and raised his beak snobbishly in the air. "No."

Goofy nodded eagerly at Sora. Sora could hardly help but smile. He then began to chase after the rabbit, running down the red and pink hallway. His companions exchanged glances for the second time that day and shrugged. They had no choice but to follow the Key bearer.

Sora raced down the hallway until he reached a large white door that stretched a ways over his head. The doorway was at least as tall as Goofy, if not taller. He peered at it curiously and then turned to check that Donald and Goofy were following him. As soon as he saw the pair turn the corner, Sora smiled at them and pointed at the door.

"He must've gone through here!"

Without waiting for a response, Sora turned back to the door and grabbed onto the handle. He pulled the white door open, only to find a slightly smaller blue door. Confused and even _more_ curious, Sora pulled open the blue door by its golden handle, only to see yet another, even smaller brown door. Getting somewhat disgruntled, Sora pulled open the brown door and smiled when he saw an entry at last.

They ended up in a very peculiarly decorated room. Everything was in the brightest of colors, mostly in shades of pink and violet. There was very little furniture in the room; only a stout green bed with an old, plain white mattress lying on top of it, a small wooden corner table painted a beige-ish pink color with two stout red chairs lined up against the wall right next to it, and a large stone and brick stove that was on the other side of the room, opposite the bed and chairs.

The floor and walls _were_ the decorations of the room, as they had various furniture painted on them, including several clocks, vases, and books. And painted out on the middle of the floor was a white table with two items that looked like bottles on its surface and a matching chair. They were painted in such a way that it made you feel like you were looking down at them from the ceiling.

The trio gazed around them, somewhat confused and disoriented by the bright shades of pink. Who could want to _live_ in a room like this? That's when Sora saw something move across the floor. At first he thought it was a white rat, but he quickly realized that it was the white rabbit. He had shrunk! Sora's jaw dropped as he watched the shrunken rabbit dash through a small wooden door on the bottom of the wall straight ahead of them, which promptly closed behind him.

Sora moved toward the door and crouched down in front of it. Donald and Goofy followed suit, squatting down on their knees on either side of Sora and peering down at the small wooden door and its large golden doorknob that had an image of a face carved into its surface. Sora tilted his head to the side, his eyebrows coming together, baffled.

"How did he get so _small_?" Sora wondered aloud as he stared at the tiny doorway.

The eyes of the doorknob snapped open and looked up at Sora. "No, _you're_ simply too _big_."

Donald leapt back with a loud quack, his blue hat practically flying off his head in the most cartoon like fashion. "It _talks_!"

Even Sora jumped back slightly, his eyes widening in alarm and his jaw dropping visibly. Only Goofy did not seem as surprised as his companions. He blinked once or twice in shock with a slight "ahyuk". Then all three leaned in slightly to gape at the talking doorknob, one of Sora's eyebrows arched and raised in confusion.

The doorknob shut its eyes and yawned largely, the keyhole of the knob serving as its mouth. It opened its eyes again when it was finished and stared angrily up at the trio.

"Must you be so _loud_? You woke me up."

Goofy blinked a few times and then smiled, waving slightly in the air. "Good mornin'."

"Good _night_," the doorknob retorted, its eyes drooping sleepily. "I need a bit more sleep."

"Wait!" Sora yelled out, extending one hand slightly toward the doorknob. He leaned even more forward so that their faces were level. "What do we have to go to grow small?"

The doorknob rolled its eyes slowly. "Why don't you try the bottle? Over there?"

It used his mouth and doorknob nose to point behind Sora. Sora looked quickly over his shoulder and watched in amazement as the table and chair that was imprinted on the pink and red tile floor exploded out of the ground and became three dimensional. Sure enough, on the surface of the table were two bottles; one with a red label and the other with a blue one. Sora was confused.

"What a bizarre room."

He took one last glance at the doorknob. It had already gone back to sleep. The trio rose to their feet and turned to look at the table and the two small bottles on its surface. Sora moved toward it and picked up each bottle in turn, examining their labels. Both bottles appeared to have some sort of liquid in it, but the blue label read, "Drink Me", while the red one had "Eat Me" written on it.

"Now that's just _weird,_" Sora said, showing the one with the red label to Donald and Goofy. "If it's a liquid, why in the world does it say 'eat me' on it?"

Goofy chuckled and Donald gave him a hard elbow to the gut to shut him up. "So which one are you gonna use, Sora?"

"The one that makes _sense_, of course," Sora said with a smile as he replaced the red labeled bottle on the table. He picked up the blue one and raised it in the air to show his companions, and then removed the cork. He peered into the bottle at the liquid inside. Sora had heard somewhere that it was always good to look first. He shrugged. So much for good advice. He put the bottle to his lips and took a sip.

"How's it taste?" Goofy wanted to know.

"Hmm…" Sora licked his lips as he attempted to place the flavors. "It tastes like… cherry tart."

Donald quacked in surprise as Sora suddenly shrunk down a size. The boy didn't seem to notice as he was still thinking of the flavors.

"…custard…"

It was Goofy's turn to make a loud noise in shock as Sora shrunk down _another_ size.

"…pineapple… roast turkey…"

Both of the King's men jumped back in shock as Sora was downsized again. But this time, Sora had noticed. He could barely hold the bottle anymore as it was almost as big as him. "W-Whoa!"

He dropped down onto his bottom, setting the bottle down as carefully as he could nearby. Sora looked up at Donald and Goofy. From this height, they looked like monsters. Sora's eyes went wide. They knew he had shrunk, right? They could still see him, right? Well, they _were_ staring back down at him. So that meant that they wouldn't step on him… right?

Goofy cupped his hands around his mouth. "_Sora_!" he shouted. "Are you _okay_?"

He grabbed his ears with his gloved hands and braced himself against the force of Goofy's yell. It had almost knocked him away. As soon as Sora's ears stopped ringing, he stomped one sneaker on the floor, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled back up at his monster sized friends.

"_Yeah_!" he shouted as loud as he could. "You don't need to _yell_!"

Donald looked at Goofy and smacked his arm. Goofy chuckled apologetically as he rubbed the spot on his arm that Donald had hit. The duck bent down and carefully picked the bottle up off the floor. He looked around a few times, holding the bottle in one hand and then looked down at Sora.

"So how're you gonna get in?" Donald asked.

His voice was still somewhat loud, but it wasn't nearly as bad as Goofy's shouting had been. Sora looked over at the doorknob and approached it, but soon realized that it wasn't going to open. The doorknob was fast asleep. He could hear it snoring softly. Not wanting to use his voice, Sora pointed at the doorknob and shook his head from side to side, crossing his arms in front of him to make an 'X'. Even though the message was just beyond Goofy, Donald nodded knowingly.

"So then, _how_?"

Sora placed one hand thoughtfully under his chin as he looked at his surroundings. He stared at each visible piece of furniture in turn, looking for holes and cracks that he could probably fit through, since the door clearly wouldn't open. Sora's eyes caught on a large opening in the bottom of the stove and took a hesitant step toward it, but then shook his head. It was probably just an opening in the stove. And even if it _did _lead somewhere, it was on a different wall from the wooden door.

That's when Sora turned around to look at the wall that the door was connected. They needed to get to the other side of _this_ wall. He examined its entire length, from one corner to the next. He snorted at the door as his eyes passed over it. Lot of help _that_ guy had been. And that's when Sora saw a rather large opening in the wall behind one end of the green bed. The bed seemed to blocking the way, but they could move it.

He ran over to the edge of the bed and peered beyond the crack. Yes, this looked quite like a doorway! Sora grinned, and then cupped his hands around his mouth, taking a deep breath before shouting to his companions.

"Guys! _Move _the bed _away _from this hole!"

Donald and Goofy nodded in Sora's direction and moved toward the bed, Donald placing the blue bottle back on the table next to the red one before doing so. They grabbed onto its edge and began to try to pull the bed away from the hole so as to make a crack large enough for Sora to fit through. However, the bed wouldn't budge an inch.

"Why won't it _budge_!" Donald howled, his face turning red with frustration and effort.

"It's like it's part o' the wall," Goofy commented with a smile, somewhat amused.

"This is no time to be amused, Goofy!" Donald hissed.

"No, he's right," Sora said, folding his arms over his chest as he thought out loud. "Everything else in this room can be like a drawing on the wall." He glanced over at the table and chair as examples. "So then, if it can't be pulled _away_ from the wall, you'd probably have to push it _in_to the wall!"

Sora thumped one fist into the open palm of his other hand as the idea struck him. He turned toward Donald and Goofy with a grin, but his face fell when he realized that his voice had been too small for them to hear. They were still trying to pull the bed away, Donald's face growing ever more red.

"Guys!" he shouted with another stomp of his feet.

Both Donald and Goofy stopped and looked over at Sora.

"Ya can't pull it away from the wall!" he yelled. "Try pushing it _into _the wall!"

Donald narrowed his eyes at Sora. "Push it _into _the wall?" he snapped. "Are you crazy? Like that's actually going to work!"

As Donald argued with Sora, Goofy moved around the bed into a position from which he could shove the bed into the wall. He placed his gloved hands on each side and gave the bed a small push. The bed almost immediately flew into the wall, making a two dimensional image of a green bed on its surface, painted as it would be seen from the side. Donald dropped onto his belly with a small thud as the bed moved swiftly into the wall. Goofy scratched the side of his head and laughed.

"Wow! Sora was _right!_"

Sora folded his arms over his chest and stared smugly at Donald, giving him his most condescending I-told-you-so look. Donald raised himself slightly, propping his head up with one arm, his other hand resting on the floor and his fingers drumming the flooring impatiently. Sora grinned, moving closer to Donald so he wouldn't have to yell the instructions.

"Now you guys can shrink down and we'll all get a move on, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Donald grumbled as he got to his feet.

The duck flashed a threatening glance at Sora before taking the blue bottle into his hands. Sora narrowed his eyes at Donald. He had been trying to be nice. Sora sighed helplessly as he watched Donald take his sip from the bottle and then hand it over to Goofy.

As soon as both of them had shrunk down to size, they hurried over to the hole where Sora was standing. Sora smiled as they approached and then led the way into the dark tunnel. The first thing they heard as they approached the exit was the sounds of birds chirping.

The moment they exited the tunnel the world exploded with blues and greens, which was a relief to their eyes after being exposed to only shades of bright pink and violet. They had entered a large garden of sorts, with grass hedges that seemed to stretch toward the blue sky, which looked to Sora like it had been painted by a young artist. A large white castle could be seen looming over them in the distance. Sora recognized it as the same one that he had seen when they were approaching and about to land.

But the thing that _really_ caught the attention of the trio was the strange scene that was taking place in the middle of the garden. Standing directly in front of them were six soldiers lined up in formation, facing the trio as they entered. They weren't _normal_ soldiers, however. They were, in fact, man-sized playing cards with limbs and a head. Their eyes were shielded by their colored hoods, and in their hands they each held a weapon, which varied according to the color and suit of each card.

There were two red guards standing in front of the soldiers, holding their red spears that had heart symbols at the tips as a way of preventing entry into the garden. The guards raised their spears to allow the white rabbit through, who had only appeared a few moments earlier than Sora, Donald, and Goofy (amazingly). The two rows of card soldiers folded backwards, allowing the rabbit passage to the front of the garden. As the soldiers opened up, Sora was able to see what exactly was going on.

There was a courtroom setup at the other end of the garden. It was incomplete, as all it consisted of was a jury box that stood off to one side, the Judge's bench with a large yellow cloth bearing a large black and red heart emblem draped over the edge, and a witness stand which was placed in front of the Judge's bench rather than beside it. Not to mention that the stand had no chair, which didn't seem to be very fair for the girl who was in the stand at that moment.

She was a young girl, probably not anyolder than Sora, with long, thick blonde hair that was only held out of her face with a thin black headband with a small ribbon. She wore a light blue dress with puffed sleeves and a large poofy skirt with several layers of white petticoats and long white stockings with a pair of shiny black Mary Jane shoes. She had a white apron on that tied at the back in a neat, almost perfect white ribbon.

As Sora watched, she fidgeted, smoothing the hem of her dress and keeping it neat. The girl turned her head slightly as the white rabbit ran past her, opening her mouth slightly when she caught sight of him as though she has something to say to him. The white rabbit merely ran past her and up a spiral wooden staircase that led to the top of a large wooden tower that made the rabbit level with the Judge's bench. The rabbit paused, keeling over slightly as he attempted to catch his breath. After a moment he lifted a trumpet to his lips and played a brief interlude. He dropped the trumpet quickly and took a deep breath.

"Court is now in session!" he yelled, doing his best to make his voice sound commanding.

The blonde girl looked over at the rabbit, confused, blinking her blue eyes sadly.

"I'm on trial?" she asked, sounding almost horrified. "But _why_?"

The rabbit didn't even look down at the girl. He only made his voice louder as he straightened himself and took another deep breath. "Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts, presiding!" He then took a moment to make a deep bow in the direction of the Judge's bench.

Sora looked over to see who the Judge was and flinched in horror.

This "Queen of Hearts" was just about the most frightening looking woman Sora had ever seen in his life. She was a rather large woman, built something like a large mother grizzly. Her face was most certainly not pleasant to look at in _any_ way. She was wearing a dress that reminded Sora of old illustrations that dead European artists had made of the royalty in their time period because of the large white collar that wrapped about and framed her head and face (though it really wasn't something that should be framed). She had jet black hair that was slicked back in a bun, with several tufts of hair sticking out haphazardly around her forehead. The queen had large, intimidating eyes that were currently glaring down at the blonde girl before her as she tapped her red heart-shaped fan on the wooden counter of her Judge's bench.

After a moment of tense silence, the Queen of Hearts narrowed her eyes at the young girl and leaned forward in her seat somewhat threateningly. "This girl is the culprit," she said, her voice calm with just a hint of anger. "There's no doubt about it."

Here the queen leaned back in her seat, fanning herself slightly. The blonde girl looked about her upon hearing the queen's words, her eyes wide in shock, as though looking for someone who would believe and defend her. Her mouth opened and shut as she contemplated shouting out.

"And the reason is…?" the queen continued, looking back down at the girl out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly leaned forward and slammed her fists angrily on the podium, screaming her reasoning straight into the girl's face. "Because I _say _so, _that's_ why!"

The girl's face twisted slightly in annoyance as she leaned over the bench of the witness stand toward the queen. "That is _so_ un_fair_!" she yelled back, extending one hand in plea.

The queen leaned back into her seat and began to fan herself. The girl placed her hands stubbornly on her hips, her eyes still wandering about as she searched for someone who might defend her. After another brief moment, the queen stomped the end of her fan gently on the wooden podium twice so as to make a thudding noise.

"Well, have you anything to say in your defense?" she asked with a gesture of her fan toward the girl, her voice lowered.

The girl looked straight into the queen's face without flinching at the sight. "Of course!" she said, folding her arms indignantly over her chest. "I've done _absolutely nothing wrong_."

The white rabbit looked first at the defendant and then back at the queen, the expression on his rabbit face growing increasingly more anxious as the girl continued to speak. The queen's gaze only hardened as she glared down at the girl, tapping her fan impatiently into the open palm of her other hand.

"You may be queen," the girl went on assertively, "but I'm afraid that doesn't give you the right to be so…" She paused here, searching for the word. "…so _mean_."

"_SILENCE_!" the queen screamed loudly. She had opened her mouth so wide that a gust of hot air blew into the girl's face, coming straight out of the queen's colossal windpipe. The girl's blonde hair began to billow behind her and the girl flinched in terror for the first time since she entered the courtroom.

"You _dare _de_fy _me!" the queen shrieked, slamming her fists angrily on the wooden podium.

Having watched the entire scene so far in complete and utter silence, Sora turned slightly toward his companions without tearing his eyes away from the courtroom.

"Hey, guys, we should help her out."

Donald looked up at Sora, then at Goofy. "Yeah, but the..."

"We're outsiders," Goofy said, interrupting Donald. "So wouldn't that be _muddling_?"

Donald sighed, exasperated, and waved his right index finger high in the air to make a point, high enough for Goofy to see. "'Meddling'!" he corrected loudly.

"Oh, yeah!" Goofy chuckled to himself. "And _that's_ against the _rules_."

Sora's face took an almost sad expression as he watched the girl stand before the terrifying queen, fidgeting slightly as the queen continued to scream. He tilted his head slightly to one side as he watched, letting out a slow, remorseful sigh. If only he could _do_ something to help her out. There just _had_ to be _something_…

The queen adjusted herself in her seat as she decided on her verdict, rising slightly and lifting her fan high in the air in order to get everyone's attention.

"The court finds the defendant…" She narrowed her eyes maliciously at the girl before leaning forward again and pointing her fan straight at the girl's face accusingly. "…_guilty _as charged!"

The girl gasped in horror, putting one hand delicately over her mouth in shock. Her breath began to come in strangled, raspy gasps as she took a single step backwards. Her head reeled in horror and her blue eyes remained fixated on the queen, pleading innocence.

The queen's expression grew only more malevolent as she settled back in her chair, tapping the end of her fan into her open palm. "For the crimes of assault and _attempted theft_ of my heart…"

Sora's eyes went wide in alarm and he took a halting step forward. They had to help now! This wasn't just a domestic matter! This involved the Heartless! Sora turned toward his companions and was about to tell them exactly that, but when he saw them, all he got was a sad shake of the head. The Key bearer took in a deep breath through his nose and looked back at the courtroom. But they had to do _something_. They couldn't let this girl take the blame.

That's when the Queen of Hearts rose to her feet, her black and red dress swaying as the woman shifted her weight almost completely over the edge of her podium. She pointed one massive finger in the young girl's direction accusingly.

"_OFF _WITH HER _HEAD_!" she shrieked.

Sora's mouth went dry and his eyes grew as big and wide as saucers in shock and horror. They were going to execute an innocent girl!

The card soldiers shifted their positions so that they were no longer standing in two straight lines facing each other and were facing the queen. They adjusted the spears and axes that they each held in their grip. They seemed to nod in unison, completely obedient to their Queen of Hearts.

The girl practically jumped onto the wooden bench of the witness stand in protest.

"No, _no_!" she pleaded. "Oh, _please_!"

That was the last straw. Sora just couldn't stay quiet anymore. No matter what Donald and Goofy said, he simply had to do _something_. He charged headlong into the courtroom, pushing through the card soldiers aside. Donald and Goofy's eyes went wide as they watched their companion. Donald slapped his forehead, unable to believe what Sora had just done.

"Hold it _right there_!" Sora yelled.

The cards that he hadn't pushed aside moved to reveal Sora as he approached the bench. He glared up at the queen, trembling in both anger and fear as the court's attention turned on him. Sora clenched his fists at his sides as he slowed to a stop not far behind the witness stand. The girl spun around on her heel to face Sora, smoothing her apron over her dress. The queen returned Sora's glare as he approached, narrowing her eyes maliciously at him.

"_Who_ are _you_?" she demanded. "How _dare_ you interfere with my court!"

Sora swallowed hard. It was one thing to _want_ to help someone. It was another thing entirely to actually _try_ to. That's when Sora heard footsteps approach cautiously from behind, and saw Donald and Goofy at either side from out of the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath, taking comfort in the fact that he was no longer on his own, and took one step forward.

"Excuse me," he said apologetically, not wanting the queen to execute them for interrupting. He swallowed as he sucked up some courage. "But _we_ know who the _real_ culprit is!"

Goofy nodded in agreement. "Uh-huh. It's the Heartle..." He stopped himself before continuing any further, looking over at Sora and Donald apologetically.

Donald seethed silently in Goofy's direction. Sora looked over at Goofy briefly, slightly confused, and then back at the queen. "A-Anyway," he continued, pointing at the blonde girl on the stand, "_she's_ not the one you're looking for."

The queen leaned back into her seat, tapping her heart-shaped fan impatiently against her wooden armrest, leaning on one arm. She rolled her eyes before glaring back down at Sora.

"That's _nonsense_," she snapped grumpily. "Have you any proof?"

A lump formed in Sora's throat. He withdrew his hand slightly, faltering.

_Proof?_ That's right, this was a courtroom. This was a trial. Evidence was needed. Sora's gaze met with the girl's. Something in her face was almost hopeful. He clenched his teeth as Sora looked at her apologetically and then lowered his eyes. Her face fell almost instantly.

The queen folded her arms over her chest smugly and then gestured to one of the soldiers. One of the black cards grabbed the girl by the arm and threw her into a golden birdcage that was right next to the Judge's bench. He slammed the barred door in her face and locked it. The girl grabbed onto the bars, looking out from between them desperately. Sora clenched his fists as he could nothing more than watch.

"Very well," the queen said. Sora's attention snapped immediately back to the queen. He flinched slightly as he looked straight into her face. She was just so… _scary_ looking…

"I shall humor your claim… Bring me evidence of Alice's innocence! Fail, and it's off with all of your heads!" Her voice began to increase in volume and in rage. "Until you conclude your investigations, the court is _adjourned_!"

With that, the queen slapped the end of her fan against the wooden podium, dismissing the court. The card soldiers relaxed, moving out of formation and heading to different positions around the garden. Even the white rabbit relaxed somewhat, slumping out of his straight posture slightly and pulling out a small handkerchief to wipe away the beads of sweat that had formed across his furry forehead. The queen settled back into her seat and relaxed.

Donald folded his arms over his chest and tapped one webbed foot as he looked at Sora. He cleared his throat, making Sora turn around to face him.

Sora sighed, exasperated. "Well I just had to do _some_thing, right?"

He then looked over at the cage in which the girl had been thrown into and approached it slowly, wary of the ace of spades that stood with a large axe in his hand right next to her prison. The girl had her eyes lowered to the ground, her hands still clasped around the bars of her caged prison. Sora walked over and cleared his throat slightly to catch her attention.

Her eyes turned upward. "Who are you?" she asked almost timidly.

Sora gave her his best smile. "I'm Sora."

"I'm Goofy," Goofy said gesturing to himself, "and _that _there's Donald." Goofy gestured in Donald's direction as he introduced him.

"My name is Alice," the girl said with a slight curtsey and a smile. "Pleased to meet you, though I _do _wish it were under better circumstances." She lowered her eyes slightly to the ground. "I'm sorry you got mixed up in this nonsense."

"Why are you on trial in the first place?" Sora wanted to know.

Alice's expression hardened as she looked back at Sora. "I should like to know the very same thing! Apparently I was guilty from the _moment _I took the stand!"

"That's _crazy_!" Sora replied sympathetically. He was only getting more confused with every moment they spent in Wonderland. Alice sighed somewhat sadly, clutching the gold yellow bars of her prison. Sora then took a deep breath and decided to change the subject. "So, where are you from?"

Donald rolled his eyes as the words came out of Sora's mouth and groaned. Sora glanced back at Donald and shrugged slightly, as though to apologize for the question's randomness. The duck sighed and nodded, dismissing it for the moment. Alice, on the other hand, looked thoughtful for a moment before she answered, rolling the question over a few times in her head.

"Hmm, curious," she murmured. "I can't quite _remember_. You see, I found this mysterious rabbit hole. When I tried to peek inside, I tumbled head over heels… And I found myself here." Sora nodded. The very same thing had happened to them. Alice sighed remorsefully. "Oh, if _only_ I hadn't peeked into that rabbit hole. I guess I'm a bit too curious for my own good."

Sora's face brightened slightly the realization came to him. "So you're from another world!"

Goofy mulled over the idea briefly in his head and chuckled faintly. "That's funny. Maybe you don't need a ship, then."

Donald shrugged, confused and angry all at once. "I don't get it."

"What do you mean 'another world'?" Alice asked, tilting her head curiously to one side and tucking some of her blonde hair behind one ear.

That's when the ace of spades stomped one foot on the ground, making everyone turn to look at him. He glared at Sora, in particular. "_Enough_!" he yelled forcefully. "The defendant will be _silent_!"

The trio then backed away, threatened somewhat by the glimmering of the axe's blade in the guard's hand. With a firm serves-you-right nod, the guard looked away. Donald and Goofy turned around and began to walk away. Sora hesitated, leaning in Alice's direction as he walked away, still facing her. "Don't worry, Alice," he told her reassuringly. "We'll _prove _to her that you're innocent!"

Alice leaned forward, her face just about squeezed in between two of the bars.

"Listen!" she called after him. Sora stopped in his tracks, straining his ears to hear her. "I asked this Cheshire Cat how to get home." Sora nodded intently. "And he told me to ask the queen." He nodded again. "So I came here to see her, and I was arrested."

Sora's face fell. He didn't like the sound of that. Alice's voice began to get shrill, and her words began to tumble over each other as she spoke. "She simply refuses to listen to me. It's so unfair… I haven't done anything wrong. What shall I do? I should like to keep my head. Why, if my head and body become separated, nothing I eat will reach my stomach!"

Sora took another step backwards. Now she was just starting to ramble. Alice then shook her head as she did her best to focus on what it was she needed to say.

"That _Cheshire _Cat may be able to help you," she said quickly, casting a wary glance in her guard's direction. "You may be able to find him in the Lotus Forest. _That _way!"

She pointed off into the distance directly behind Sora, biting down on her lip nervously. Sora looked in the direction she pointed to, committed it to memory, and then turned to Alice and nodded.

"You got it," he said, smiling. "Thanks!"

The guard slammed his foot down on the ground again and looked in Sora's direction, adjusting his hold on his axe, his expression hardening in outrage. "No talking to the defendant!" he yelled.

But Sora had already taken off in a run in the direction that Alice had pointed.

* * *

"Why can't we just _tell_ 'em that it was those Heartless guys?" Sora wanted to know. 

The trio had entered the alleged Lotus Forest. To them, it truly was like a large forest, filled with dense foliage that stretched up to the sky. Everything was washed in neutral colors of browns and earthy greens. There were giant lotuses that loomed high over their heads, blocking out the sunlight and giving the forest its namesake. Yet the more Sora observed his surroundings, the more he realized what exactly this so-called forest was. Every large strip of thick foliage that reached for the sky was simply a long blade of forest grass. The lotuses were not what were gigantic; it was the trio walking through the forest that was shrunken and small.

Sora was leading the way through the forest, walking slowly in a straight line through the unknown territory. Goofy walked directly behind him, while Donald trailed a few steps behind the entire party. As the young boy peered over his shoulder toward Donald as he waited for an answer, the duck's face twisted slightly in annoyance. After a moment, he took a long, deep breath, and then spoke.

"Because," Donald explained, his impatience and anger ebbing slightly away as his voice became more hushed. "Every world is defined by its particular boundaries, within which some understanding of reality emerges as truth. _Two _truths cannot coexist, and so from the introduction of foreign bodies is conflict and chaos spawned. _That's_ why we limit our involvement in local affairs."

Both Sora and Goofy blinked in confusion. "Say that _again_?"

"Indeed," boomed a tired sounding voice. "Speak again. You speak the truth? I pose that the untruth of this truth upon truths holds truer."

The entire party stopped in their tracks as they began to look around in alarm. There wasn't a single soul to be found anywhere. There was only them; three time bombs of anxiety, waiting for the seconds to wind down. They were silent for a moment, until Sora finally stepped forward, clenching his fists and taking a deep breath to soothe his nerves. He managed to cry out, "Who are you?" though his voice cracked slightly, nervously, as the words escaped his throat.

"Who, indeed," the voice said again, its position shifting from one area of the forest to the next.

The trio spun about in place as they attempted to pinpoint the source of the voice. As they did so, Sora caught sight of something fuchsia colored move out of the corner of his eye. He spun around to find it, but saw nothing. Laughter began to echo about the area, followed by the reciting of what sounded something like a song. It came softly at first, but was slowly getting louder.

'_Twas a brillig, and the slithy toves  
__Did gyre and gimble in the wabe  
__All a mimsy were the borrow-groves  
__And the momeraths out grabe…_

The laughter continued when it had finished reciting. Sora looked around, getting frustrated. This was just _too_ weird. Just then, a face popped out of the darkness at Sora, and then vanished just as quickly as it came. Sora's eyes went wide as he took a step backwards.

"What was _that_?"

"What was _what_?" Donald asked, turning around to look in Sora's direction.

Sora shook his head side to side and then rubbed his eyes. He looked around again, to be sure. "I thought I saw something..."

That's when it happened again. The mysterious face popped out like the jack of a jack-in-the-box and then retracted and disappeared, only to do it again from somewhere else. The third time, everyone saw it. Donald jumped back with a loud quack of surprise and Goofy dropped onto his bottom in shock.

The face vanished one final time and reappeared hovering slightly over a nearby tree stump of some sort. At first, it was just a large, white, crescent shaped grin, which eventually grew into a whole figure. It was a rather large, chubby, fuchsia colored cat with white stripes running down the entire length of his body, encircling even his arms and belly. He stared down at Sora, Donald and Goofy through wide, mischievous yellow eyes, with his two paws supporting the underside of his jaw as he lay on his side. He was chuckling as he watched the reaction of the trio to his appearance, his bushy tail wagging lazily in the air.

Sora stepped forward, pushing away his surprise. "You must be the Cheshire Cat."

The Cheshire Cat turned his eyes onto Sora in particular, his large grin growing, as though to confirm Sora's suspicions, and then looked at Donald. "You speak the truth?" he asked curiously. His grin grew even more. "The Cheshire Cat knows all truths, and finds as yet no contradiction nor chaos."

Goofy rose back to his feet and joined Donald and Sora in gaping at the mysterious cat. He pointed amusedly at the Cheshire Cat and chuckled, turning to Donald and saying cheerily, "It's a _cat_!"

While Donald mused over the idea of bonking Goofy on the head, the cat propped himself up into a human-like sitting position. "Poor Alice," he said with a slight shrug of his cat shoulders. "Soon to lose her head, and she's not guilty of a thing!"

"Hey!" Sora cried out, forcing the Cheshire Cat to turn his attention back on him. "If you know who the culprit is, tell us!"

The cat chuckled, rising onto his hind legs. He put both paws on either side of his head and removed his head from his shoulders. Donald's face went pale and Sora's eyes grew as wide as saucers. The Cheshire Cat proceeded to place his head gingerly on the ground before him and stepped on top of it. The cat's yellow eyes then turned to Sora, and he smiled.

"Can you stand on your head?" he asked, a small laugh escaping from him.

Sora swallowed hard as he watched. "Not like _that_," he muttered under his breath.

Donald had just about lost his last shred of patience. The color flushed back into his face as he stomped his webbed feet on the ground and pointed one finger at the cat angrily. "_Tell us_!"

"The Cheshire Cat has all the answers," the cat said, stepping off his head and placing it back on his shoulders. And then, turning to the trio and wagging one finger in the air, "but doesn't always tell. The answer, the culprit, the cat all lie in darkness."

Then, just as the Cheshire Cat had first appeared, his figure began to fade away. Sora's eyes went wide. "Wait!" he cried. "That's all you're gonna tell us?"

The white moon shaped smile was the last thing of the Cheshire Cat's to vanish into their surroundings. Sora pressed his lips together as he took a deep breath through his nostrils. So much for asking the Cheshire Cat for help to save Alice. As Sora was about to press further onward into the Lotus Forest, the cat's voice rang out into the stillness, the source of it still shifting positions as he spoke.

"They've already left the forest," he was saying. "I won't tell which exit."

A small pink box then fell from overhead, bouncing off Donald's head and straight into Sora's hands. Sora managed to catch the box clumsily, and then stared at the box, one eyebrow raised in suspicion. He then looked upward, trying to catch a glimpse of where the Cheshire Cat had gone.

"What's this?"

"Within the box there lives perhaps the truth you seek," the Cheshire Cat explained. He then chuckled slightly. "Or perhaps there lives _not_?"

Donald rubbed the top of his head grumpily, muttering several incomprehensible words under his breath as he glared upward. Goofy walked over to Sora and looked first at the box, and then back at Sora.

"Should we trust him?" he asked.

"To trust," the Cheshire Cat interjected, reappearing atop the tree stump, "or _not_ to trust? I trust you'll decide!" And with that, the cat vanished again.

"Doesn't look very trustworthy to _me_," Donald growled.

Sora looked down at the box. "Say, whaddya suppose is inside?"

All eyes then turned onto the box that Sora held in his hands. It seemed too small to have anything _live_ in it. Sora examined the box from all sides, inspecting it curiously. It was just a simple pink box, not much taller than the hat perched on Goofy's head. Sora shook it up and down. Nothing happened.

"Open it," said Goofy.

Sora turned the box right side up and began to slowly peel the lid open. The lid had barely been opened before a powerful force flew out of the tiny box and into Sora's face, forcing him to hold the box farther away. Donald and Goofy released loud cries of alarm as whatever was inside the box popped out. As Sora looked, his eyes grew wide.

"It's a Heartless!"

The armored Heartless leapt from the box onto the ground just a few feet away from Sora. It looked over its shoulder at the trio, the metal of its helmet and armor clanking loudly and its yellow eyes glowing, before taking off in a run, feet flying, in the direction of the Queen of Hearts' court. Donald pulled out his staff and tilted his hat in a gesture of anger and daring.

"Let's go get it!" he growled before taking off after the Heartless.

The other two nodded in agreement as they pulled out their weapons and chased after the creature of darkness. Sora fiddled slightly with the handle of his Keyblade as they ran, his mind uneasy. Why was it going toward the courtroom? It wasn't like there was anything there, other than Alice, the white rabbit, the strange card soldiers and… That's when Sora realized it.

The Queen of Hearts.

They had even said it during the trial, hadn't they? _"For the crimes of assault, and attempted theft of my heart…" _Sora gritted his teeth and pushed himself to run faster. They just had to get to that Heartless before it reached the queen. It would be all kinds of hell for them if they didn't stop it in time.

They had almost reached the entryway to the queen's court by the time Sora had almost caught up to the Heartless. Sora adjusted his grip on the Keyblade as he closed the gap between him and the Heartless, passing under a large, grass hedge archway as they entered the courtroom. Several rounds of terrified screams filled the room as the Heartless leapt onto the witness stand, spinning slightly so that it was facing the Queen of Hearts.

"What in the world is _that_!" the queen shrieked. "_MANNERLESS_!"

She scrambled to escape from her Judge's bench, without success. Her scream resonated throughout the courtroom as though it were surrounded by walls. Sora gritted his teeth as he moved forward as fast as he could, holding the Keyblade with both hands.

"_There's _your evidence, Miss Queen!" Sora yelled. "And _watch out_!"

The Heartless glanced over its shoulder at Sora before it pounced at the queen. The queen recoiled, her deep, enraged voice booming from her throat. Sora jumped onto the witness stand, rebounding off of it toward the Judge's bench. With the Keyblade clutched in both hands, Sora took one large, mid-air swing, chopping down the Heartless before it was even able to lay one shadowy claw on the queen. The Heartless vanished in the one hit, dispersing only inches away from the face of the Queen of Hearts.

Sora planted both feet on the end of the Judge's bench and then turned to look at the queen, pointing the Keyblade at her. "There ya go," Sora said forcefully. "_Still _think Alice's the one?"

He then turned slightly and looked down from the Judge's bench. There stood Donald and Goofy, who had just entered the courtroom and were currently looking up at Sora proudly. The queen ground her teeth together angrily, clenching her hands into fists. She pounded her fists on the Judge's bench angrily.

"Silence!" she shrieked. "_I'm_ the law here! Article 29: Anyone who defies the queen is guilty!"

Donald slammed one foot on the ground, equally enraged as the queen. "That's crazy!"

"Cards!" the queen screamed as she turned to her troops, pointing angrily at the trio, her eyes burning with unreasonable rage. She was practically spitting as she screamed.

"Seize them at _once!_"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Ahhh, movie references galore. One of which being the title of this chapter, "In the Golden Afternoon" (the song that the flowers sang to Alice). Apologies if that "Can you stand on your head?" thing was a little bit random. I just _reeeeally _wanted to include it, because that's my favorite scene with the Cheshire Cat in the movie. 

Anyways... I got a lot of stuff off of the manga for this particular chapter. I decided against including a motherlode of Heartless battles for this world the way I had in Traverse Town. It just would've made it unnecessarily long.


	9. Assistance

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Major KH manga stuff in this chapter, including the chapter title. I couldn't put any of the song titles from the movie, because they didn't work with what happens in this chapter. Thanks for all the reviews so far, guys! I'm touched, really. :D

* * *

_**Chapter 8  
Assistance**_

_Wonderland_

"Cards! Seize them at _once!_"

The ace of spades ran to the cage and grabbed hold of a wheel that was hidden behind it. Then, getting a good grip on it, the card spun the wheel as quickly as he could. A red curtain fell over the cage, and the cage shot up on a rail to the top of some kind of tower that stood next to the Judge's bench. The queen looked up at the cage with a proud nod, and then turned back to ordering the other cards.

"If they touch the tower," she shrieked, pointing her fan at them, "_you lose your heads!_"

The card soldiers immediately leapt forward, landing in a circle surrounding Donald and Goofy. The two exchanged glances before they pulled out their weapons. Several cards moved to surround the judge's bench, holding their weapons and glaring up at Sora. Others ran up the spiral staircase so that they could jump onto the Judge's bench. Sora looked first at the queen, then at the soldiers, and then back at his friends. He shifted his weight onto one leg, ready to jump down, willing the Keyblade into his hands.

"Hang on, guys!"

Goofy looked up at Sora, an almost serious expression on his face. "Sora, no!"

The solemnity in Goofy's voice surprised both Sora and Donald. Sora froze in place, lowering his Keyblade slightly. "Goofy…"

"Go get Alice!" he yelled, before taking his shield with both hands and barreling into the army of card soldiers.

Sora took a small step backward, slightly surprised. The cards began to leap from the staircase in an attempt to get onto the bench, some of them failing. It didn't take long for them to figure out how to make a bridge across out of themselves. Sora looked first at the soldiers and then nodded at Goofy (even though Goofy probably couldn't see it). Withdrawing the Keyblade, Sora ran across the Judge's bench toward Alice's cage. The queen rose from her seat as Sora dashed past her.

"How _dare_ you!" she shrieked. "What do you think you're _doing_?"

Paying her no mind, Sora leapt from the Judge's bench onto Alice's cage, grabbing onto the sides and clutching it for dear life. The cards yelled angrily from the top of the Judge's bench, their cries intermingled with the outraged screams of the queen herself. Sora looked down at the ground and swallowed hard. This was a lot higher than he had thought.

As the cards tried to hook onto Sora's clothes with their spears, Sora forced his weight onto the cage, pushing down so that the cage would be forced to fall back to the ground. The cage rattled. He pushed again and again, the cage jolting violentlyeach time, the hook from which the cage hung weakening with every push. Sora could hear the enthusiastic cheering of Donald and Goofy from below, but the sounds of the queen howling in outrage easily drowned them out. It was difficult to simply ignore a voice that loud, especially when it rang almost directly into one's ear. Even so, Sora didn't give up. He continued pushing down on the cage until the beak of the bird shaped hook snapped, and the cage, together with Sora, slid back to the floor from the top of the tower.

The cage hit the ground with such force that Sora tumbled from it. He shook his head from side to side, half expecting to be surrounded by the card soldiers. Yet to his surprise, it was as though everything had screeched to a halt when the cage crashed to the floor. All the cards were looking at the cage now, as though frozen. Even the queen leaned over the edge of the Judge's bench, straining to see. Sora jumped to his feet and ran at the cage, grabbing the curtain and throwing it back.

Everyone's eyes went wide as the red curtain drew back to reveal… nothing. Sora's mouth went slightly dry. Donald and Goofy moved toward Sora and stood slightly behind him, gaping at the now empty cage. The trio exchanged shocked glances. When did _that_ happen? The cards looked up at the queen as the queen's face started to turn beet red.

"You _fools_!" she shrieked, banging her fists on the bench and shaking her fan angrily at the card soldiers. "Find the one who's behind this! I don't _care_ how!"

The cards saluted the queen before running about the courtroom in circles. After a moment of mass panic, the cards exited the courtroom. The queen then turned to look at Sora, Donald, and Goofy.

"This includes _you_ three as well!" she hissed, waving her fan angrily. "Quit dawdling! Find Alice, or it's off with _all of your heads_!"

Sora jumped slightly as though he had been poked in the butt by something sharp and began to run for the Lotus Forest, with Donald and Goofy trailing hurriedly behind him.

"We're _goin'_ already!" Sora shouted over his shoulder. "Geez!"

* * *

"That queen lady's totally lost it," Sora muttered, as the trio trudged deeper into the Lotus Forest. He pushed aside a tuft of tall grass and stepped over it, then held it back for Donald and Goofy as they followed him loyally. 

As Sora dropped the grass and moved so that he was instep with Donald and Goofy, he heard a familiar voice resounding in the air. It came softly at first, humming a semi-haunting tune which gradually turned into a round of soft, echoing chuckles. Suddenly, sets of paw prints began to appear on the ground as though something invisible was walking around them, circling first Donald and Goofy, then Sora. The paw prints then headed toward a nearby tree. Sora narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"The Cheshire Cat."

As if on cue, the Cheshire Cat appeared in the branches of a tree a few feet in front of Sora, his moon shaped smile glowing from out of the darkness of the forest. He was hanging upside down from one of the branches with his hind legs crossed as though he were sitting cross legged on the floor.

"Loooose something?" he asked casually.

"Yeah," Goofy said with a slight chuckle, stepping forward. "Have you seen Alice?"

The Cheshire Cat blinked slowly, his smile stretching. "Alice, no," he said. "Shadow, yes!"

"Where did they go?"

The cat shrugged, curling upward so that he could seat himself properly on the tree branch. "This way? That way? Does it matter? Left, right, up, down! All mixed up thanks to the shadows!" His grin grew. "And besides: _all_ ways _here_ are the _queen_'s ways." The cat pulled at the fur on his head in order to make himself look just like the Queen of Hearts, an imitation of the tightly bound bun on the top of her head.

Sora's spirits fell. "Just great," he grumbled.

"Step deeper into the forest," the cat continued, "to the deserted garden. You might find shadows in the upside down room!"

With that, the Cheshire Cat once again vanished.

"'The upside down room'?" Sora echoed, turning to look at Donald and Goofy.

They both shrugged. "Let's just keep going," Donald suggested.

And so they did. The trio trudged onward, deeper into the forest, mostly in silence. An urgency hung thickly in the air as they walked. All Sora could think about was helping out Alice. Where could she have gone? She couldn't have gotten far without anybody knowing. The only logical thing would be to assume that the Heartless actually kidnapped her. But what would they want with her? As far as they knew of the Heartless so far, all they ever seemed to be doing was attacking them.

"Hey, look there!"

Sora looked up as Goofy pointed to an open passage just ahead of them. It was where the foliage grew so thickly together that it formed a sort of tunnel. All the light that could possibly filter into the tunnel was blocked out so that beyond the opening nothing could be seen but the black of night. Where it led, none of them could possibly know for sure.

The trio exchanged glances before daring to enter the dark tunnel. They walked along slowly, silently, Sora trailing his fingers absentmindedly on the "walls". The darkness seemed endless until Sora bumped chest first into some sort of grass hedge wall. Somewhat surprised, Sora dug his fingers into the hedge as though he was making sure it was real. And then, gripping the hedge firmly in his hands, he began to tear the hedge apart to make some sort of passageway. That's when light exploded into their faces, illuminating the new place unexpectedly.

Their eyes went wide in wonder. "What in the…?"

This new area most certainly surprising. Spread out before them was the layout of what looked like some sort of outdoor tea party. There was a long table with a bright pink table cloth standing in the middle of the area, in front of a large white and pink house with a roof made of hay. Chairs of all different kinds were lined up along the sides of the table. The table was filled from end to end with teacups, saucers, teapots, spoons, and cups of sugar. The tea party seemed to have been abandoned halfway through, as some of the cups still had tea in them.

Hung on one of the large hedges that surrounded the area at one end of the table was the most peculiar image of two very unusual looking characters; a man in a brightly colored suit with a large head and white hair with a green hat on his head with a price tag that read "10/6". Next to him was a brown hare in an equally bright suit with a crazy tuft of fur on the top of his head. They both seemed to be looking out from inside the picture with mournful, anxious expressions on their faces and tears streaming from their eyes, staring at the tea party spread. Or possibly, at the outside in general.

A chill ran up Sora's spine as he looked at the picture.

"There's somethin' really _creepy_ about this place," Sora muttered, turning so that he couldn't see the picture.

"Whaddaya mean?" Goofy wanted to know, wandering toward the table and picking up one teacup. He held it with both hands and examined the cup from all sides, the remaining tea spilling out as he spun the cup upside down.

Sora shrugged, slowly making his way toward the white and pink house. "I dunno, but there's something _about _this place."

"Well, they left all this good tea," Goofy commented, picking up a teapot and pouring some tea into a cup. "Whoever was here left in the middle of a good tea party!"

Goofy tut-tutted to himself as he set the teapot back down and got ready to take a sip from his cup, seating himself in one of the empty chairs. Donald moved forward angrily.

"Gimme that, ya big palooka!" he growled, snatching the teacup out of Goofy's grasp and putting it back on the table.

"Seriously, guys," Sora said, turning slightly so he could see Donald and Goofy. "There's something…" His eye caught on the picture on the wall and he turned away immediately. "… _weird_ going on in here."

Donald looked first at Sora and then at the picture on the hedge. He had overlooked it before, and now as he took a good long look at it, he shuddered. "Sora's right," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "We should just keep going."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Goofy rose to his feet and followed Sora and Donald toward the white and pink house. Sora paused before he reached the doorway, taking one final glance at the room. The two figures trapped within the confines of their picture frame seemed to be watching them. Their eyes seemed to be pleading for freedom. Sora took a deep breath through his nostrils in an attempt to calm himself. As Donald and Goofy went ahead of him through the doorway, Sora mouthed the word "Sorry" in the direction of the picture and then followed his companions.

The expressions on their faces seemed to have gotten sadder.

The trio had been expecting to step through the doorway of a house, but the moment they passed through it, they found themselves right back where they had started. They were back in the strangely decorated bizarre room. Pink walls, items that could be pushed into the walls, and a large white circular table with two bottles on top. They looked around them in shock, their mouths slightly agape.

'_Twas a brillig, and the slithy toves  
__Did gyre and gimble in the wabe  
__All a mimsy were the borrow-groves  
__And the momeraths out grabe…_

The voice of the Cheshire Cat seemed to be coming from the tabletop. As their eyes turned toward the table, the cat's body slowly appeared, lying quite casually on his side, his head propped up with one paw as he looked down at the trio. He laughed lightly, scratching a spot on his belly.

"Fourth verse?" he offered the trio.

"No thanks," Donald grumbled.

"You vanished on us last time," Sora said firmly. "Where's this 'upside down room'?"

The Cheshire Cat smiled, amused. "Here." His smile grew slightly as he stood on his hind legs. "I shall show what shadows lurk in the heart of the world."

"Where?"

The cat produced a flame from mid-air and raised it over his head as it began to grow. "Patience, patience," he forewarned. "Want to find the shadows? Turn on the light!"

Suddenly, one of two small lamps on the ceiling turned on, and then the other. The cat smiled as his flame extinguished itself and he lied back down on his side. "Have you heard? Where there is the brightest of flames, there is the darkest of shadows…" He tilted his head to one side. "You'll have a better view from higher up." He patted the surface of the table casually, as though inviting them to join him.

Sora looked over at Donald and Goofy. "Should we…?"

"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Donald replied, exasperated. "Let's just _go_."

Hesitating slightly, the trio moved toward the table and clambered onto the chair next to it, Goofy giving both Donald and Sora boosts to reach the top. As soon as all three of them had managed to reach the top of the table, they turned to Cheshire Cat, who was, once again, standing on his head. When the cat caught sight of the trio, he merely smiled at them and replaced his head on his shoulders. He then lied back down on the tabletop, stretching slightly.

"The shadows should be here soon," the cat said somewhat smugly.

Suddenly, the air began to waver. The atmosphere suddenly felt thick and heavy. An unseen force blew toward the bizarre room and began to build. Everything seemed to have dimmed slightly, as though a great shadow had been cast over the room. The room seemed to shake as the force began to build on itself. The trio gazed about them warily, their hearts thumping loudly in their chests, the blood pumping in their ears. Sora clenched his fists at his sides. What was going on?

"Are your hearts prepared for the worst?" the Cheshire Cat asked them. "If not, too bad!"

That was when whatever had been building up to that moment began to take form. A large, monster like creature had taken form and began to loom somewhat malevolently above them. It looked like it had been pieced together from several different kinds of children's toys; its main body and torso was a proper chest piece, as though it were a part of a set of armor, but the rest of the creature was almost random.

It had two legs that seemed like four at a glance. Each "thigh" was red in color, protruding from the pelvis in opposite directions on both sides. As it hit the "knee", the metal turned black and folded back until it reached the other side, coming together to form the feet which looked like large black axes. Its arms seemed to be made of long, twisted strips of paper that made a sort of zigzagged appearance. At the end of each strip of zigzagged paper was a small black paper hand, each holding a large club that had been set on fire, which the creature juggled in the air. Its head consisted of several smaller heads, each of which shared the same confused expression. The smaller heads alternated in color; one would be red while the next would be black.

The monster looked down from its high place above the tabletop and straight at Sora, Donald, and Goofy. The Cheshire Cat rolled onto his back, his tail wagging delightedly in the air, his smile growing across his face. "Meet the Trickmaster!"

Sora looked back at the Cheshire Cat, grinding his teeth together and pointing one finger accusingly at him. "You!" he shouted angrily. "You _lied_ to us!"

Donald looked over at the cat as well, his face turning red and his hands turning to fists, while Goofy was far too busy cowering in horror from the Trickmaster. The Cheshire Cat looked back at Sora and shook his head sadly, as though he was disappointed.

"I _lie_, you say?" the Cheshire Cat echoed, as though he had taken offense in the comment. "Nay, I need not. The Cheshire Cat takes heart in aiding those in need."

The Trickmaster lunged forward, swinging his fiery clubs at the trio, missing them by only a hair. Beads of sweat formed on Sora's forehead as the fire swept over him, the heat of the flame having come dangerously close. Donald and Goofy threw themselves down onto the table top in an attempt to dodge, and then each crawled toward the edge of the table and dropped back down to the floor. As soon as they hit the floor, they pulled out their weapons.

"Let's go, Goofy!" Donald urged, gripping his staff between both hands.

The duo then charged forward, Goofy holding his shield tight in his gloved hands as he barreled into the Trickmaster's limbs. Donald jumped backward and shot a ball of fire from his staff, which flew toward the monster's torso. As the Trickmaster's attention shifted to Donald and Goofy, Sora rose to his feet and looked at the Cheshire Cat angrily over his shoulder. The cat merely smiled as usual. Frustrated, Sora willed the Keyblade forward and ran toward the edge of the table top. As soon as the Trickmaster was in jumping range, Sora leapt at it, Keyblade flashing, swinging his weapon angrily and getting in a decent hit to the lower part of its torso.

"Ya got 'im!" Goofy cheered happily, leaping into the air. "Great job, Sora!"

Upon hearing Goofy's excited cheers, Sora smiled inwardly at the idea of his victorious hit. He planted both feet on the linoleum flooring and spun around to see the effect of the blow he had given. The Trickmaster seemed to examine itself briefly before shaking off the hit and resuming its fight. Sora's eyes went wide in confusion as he stumbled backwards. The Keyblade had had no effect on this Heartless monster?

"Wh-What happened?" he yelled as he was reunited with Donald and Goofy.

Donald switched the staff into his right hand as they moved away from the Trickmaster, their eyes glued to the monster's many faces. "It didn't work!" he yelled, alarmed.

The Cheshire Cat seemed to smile at the panic that they had been thrown into. Sora cast one brief, almost frantic glance at his Keyblade. But wasn't the power of the Keyblade its ability to strike down the Heartless where normal weapons may fail? There was very little time for him to think as the Trickmaster swung one flaming limb in their direction. With an alarmed yell, Sora dropped onto his belly in an attempted dodge, flattening himself to the floor as the flames billowed with a roar overhead.

The Cheshire Cat chuckled amusedly, turning away briefly to examine his fingernails. "It seems you're in dire need of assistance," he said as he glanced back at the trio out of the corner of one gleaming yellow eye. "Rather a _miracle_ you've made it this far."

With that, the Cheshire Cat gave a small nod of his head in Sora's direction as Sora rose to his knees. A small gust of icy cold wind billowed toward Sora and struck the Keyblade with just enough force to push him slightly to the side. Sora looked first at the cat, and then down at the Keyblade, which was now emitting a pale blue aura. The metal of the blade suddenly flashed icy cold in his grip.

"It is but a pittance," the Cheshire Cat went on. "But I shall grant to you what strength you lack."

Sora eyed the cat suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"EEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Donald leapt frantically in the air, smoke billowing behind him in the most cartoon-like manner as his tail feathers had caught fire. He then proceeded to run around in circles, clearly in a state of terrified panic, screaming incoherently. Goofy, escalating Donald's franchise, pointed at Donald's tail and began to make various terrified and worried noises. Sora rose to his feet, spinning around to look at Donald, his fingers tightening around the handle of the Keyblade.

"DONALD!"

The Keyblade flashed a brilliant blue before a powerful icy cold force blew out from the tip of the blade. Sora yelled in shock as some kind of blizzard billowed out of the Keyblade and shot in a straight line in Donald's direction. He hissed as the Keyblade suddenly felt icy cold in his grip, yet for some reason he was unable to release it. Donald breathed in relief as the magical blizzard extinguished the flames on his tail feathers. As soon as the initial relief ebbed away, a thought crossed Donald's mind. He turned around and looked over at Sora, who seemed frozen to the spot.

"Sora!" Donald gasped. "Was that _you _just now?"

"You're the one they call 'the Bearer of the Key'," the Cheshire Cat said calmly, lying down on his back and putting his hands behind his head. "It'd be a true pity if you didn't know how to use magic, wouldn't it?"

Sora looked over his shoulder at the Cheshire Cat, his eyes wide. "M-Magic?" he echoed.

"Sora!" Goofy yelped suddenly. "Watch yer back!"

He spun around in time to see the Trickmaster take one large step forward, its foot slamming into the floor near Sora and shaking the Earth, right before it took another swing with its flaming limbs. The trio fled in all directions in a successful dodge. As soon as the coast was clear, Sora returned, the Keyblade flashing brilliant shades of light blue.

"Take this!" he yelled, pointing the Keyblade at the Trickmaster.

Nothing. Sora looked down at his Keyblade, confused. But it was glowing blue! What was wrong? The Trickmaster reared one gargantuan leg back and slammed it hard into the floor, making the ground shake again. Sora dodged as quickly as he could in a side roll and then pointed the Keyblade at the monster again. Still nothing came out.

"You gotta really focus yourself on what you're tryin' to do!" Donald yelled from across the room at Sora. Sora hid himself under the table's legs as he listened to Donald. "If you're gonna be channeling magic using the Keyblade, try and concentrate _all_ your power on it! Imagine your power freezing over your opponent!" This last part Donald said most firmly. "Focus your _heart_!"

Sora swallowed hard and then looked back at the Trickmaster, which was currently going after Goofy as he ran around in circles, howling. He closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating, imagining the monster being frozen into a solid block by his magic. There it was, frozen in his mind. Sora gripped the Keyblade tighter in his hands. It began to glow more brilliantly than it had before. Sora opened his eyes and smiled. Running out from his hiding place, Sora pointed the Keyblade at the Trickmaster, holding it with both hands as it flashed pale blue and turned icy cold. He clenched his teeth together.

"BLIZZARD!"

A powerful blast of ice exploded from the end of the Keyblade and bee lined toward the Trickmaster. The monster barely even had time to react as the icy beam struck it in the head. The ice spread like a virus around the Trickmaster's body, encompassing it in a thick layer of ice. Sora's eyes went wide as he slowly lowered the Keyblade. A smile slowly grew on his face. Donald and Goofy raced over to Sora, throwing their arms excitedly around his neck.

"You _did it_, kid!"

The Cheshire Cat's expression changed to a look of surprise, his moon shaped smile having been wiped off his face for the first time since they had met him. "Wow."

Everyone watched as the Trickmaster's frozen body hurtled toward the floor and shattered into thousands of icy shards, each of which glowed softly before dissipating into the air. A large purplish-blue heart appeared among the debris, hovering over the spot where the Heartless monster had been defeated before vanishing in thin air.

Sora sighed, relieved, as Donald and Goofy released Sora and celebrated amongst themselves. The doorknob then began to moan and then yawned loudly, making the trio turn around to look over at him. He opened his eyes sleepily, smacking his lips together.

"What a _racket_," he groaned drowsily. "How's a doorknob to get any sleep?"

The doorknob yawned again, his mouth opening widely. Suddenly, something glimmered from within the depths of the doorknob's mouth. Sora blinked, raising one eyebrow in surprise. The entire trio leaned forward, all of them having caught a glimpse of that strange something. "Is that a keyhole?"

The keyhole suddenly shone brilliantly from within the doorknob's mouth. The Keyblade began to rattle in Sora's grasp, as though moving of its own free will, flashing in different colors. Sora seized the handle with both hands and held on as tightly as he could. The Keyblade aimed itself at the doorknob, freezing in place as though it had locked on to something, and then fired a beam of light from its tip. The beam shot through the doorknob's mouth and revealed a tiny keyhole within. The keyhole shone brilliantly, revealing itself to the trio, and then faded away with a loud clicking noise.

The doorknob shut its mouth at last, mumbling something about being extremely tired before falling back into a deep slumber. Sora readjusted himself so that he was standing firmly on both feet, the Keyblade dropping as though it had been removed from an invisible lock.

"What was _that_?" Donald murmured in shock.

"You _hear_ that?" Sora asked his companions. "Sounded like something closed."

Sora looked down at the Keyblade in awe. He was learning more about this mysterious weapon all the time. First its ability to affect the Heartless, then magic, and now _this_, whatever "this" was. Sora's attention shifted when he heard something small and light fall to the linoleum floor and slide across the surface. It was a small diamond shaped block that seemed to be made out of some kind of gummy material. It was colored in shades of yellow and green. It was flat on one side and somewhat rounded on the other, as though it had been cut off from something. Goofy bent down and picked it up. Both he and Donald examined the item carefully.

"It's a Gummi block!" Goofy cried out. He chuckled, raising it slightly. "This Gummi ain't like the others. No, sir."

Donald peered at the piece curiously, looked first at Goofy, then at Sora, and then took it carefully from Goofy. "Okay, I'll hold on to it."

"Uhh… 'Gummi block'?" Sora echoed, scratching his head in confusion.

Goofy laughed slightly. "It's a mechanical part from another Gummi ship, kinda like ours."

"'Another'?" he repeated.

"_Splendid_," the Cheshire Cat said, applauding Sora amusedly. All eyes turned on the Cheshire Cat as he stopped clapping and leaned on his tail as though it were a wall. The cat's smile grew so that it touched from one ear to the other. "You're quite the hero."

Sora gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes. "Whose side are you…"

"If you're looking for Alice," the cat said, interrupting Sora, "she's not here. She's gone! Off with the shadows, into darkness."

The Key Bearer's face fell. His eyes dropped to the floor. "No…"

The Cheshire Cat shrugged his shoulders and vanished, humming his usual tune in the most haunting manner. Sora shut his eyes sadly, his spirits dropping. Donald, sensing his companion's disheartened frustration, placed one hand sympathetically on Sora's shoulder.

"Let's go back to our Gummi ship," Donald said softly. "We might find her in another world."

Sora slowly turned his eyes upward to look at Donald. At the sight of the duck's most sympathetic face, Sora dragged up the best smile he could offer and nodded silently.

"Yeah…"

Donald gave Sora a brotherly pat on the back as he helped Sora to his feet. The trio hurriedly returned to the Gummi ship.

* * *

Sora gazed out the cold glass window of the Gummi ship as they sailed away from Wonderland. He lowered his eyes after a moment, focusing on the thousands of distant stars that he could see before him as his thoughts began to drift. 

"Didn't find anyone after all," he murmured sadly, sighing. "Not only Alice… We didn't even get anywhere with the King…"

His mind raced, mulling over everything that had happened so far, from meeting Leon and Yuffie, to encountering the Queen of Hearts and the Trickmaster. Sora released one long, drawn out breath, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against the cool glass.

"I wonder where Riku and Kairi are…?"

The words escaped Sora's throat in a voice just over a whisper. Images of his two closest friends suddenly appeared in his mind's eye. He could see them as they had been before any of this had happened, playing, laughing, splashing each other with the cool, salty ocean water. He pressed his forehead harder against the glass. "Where'd you guys go?"

Suddenly, Sora found that two fingers had lodged into the corners of his mouth and pulled his lips back to forcibly make him smile. Sora struggled, knocked the hands that had done that to him away and spun around to face his opponent, his back pressing up against the window.

Goofy laughed cheerily, pulling his hands away and taking a few steps backward. Donald turned slightly in his driver's seat so that he could see Sora, smiled, and winked encouragingly.

"Nothin' to be worried about, kid!" Donald said.

"Ahyuk! We'll find 'em, Sora!"

"There are as many worlds as there are stars," Donald continued, a determined twinkle in his eyes. "And if you wanna live to search 'em all, you'd better cheer up this instant!"

Sora was taken aback slightly, allowing himself to slump back into his seat. So then that must've meant that they were actually _worried _about him. Suddenly, two small chipmunks leapt onto Sora's lap, both of them staring up at Sora. Dale was still holding a broom in one hand while Chip tapped one foot impatiently before signaling to Dale to make a charge at Sora's face. Chip grabbed one of Sora's cheeks with all of his available limbs.

"Your depression's depleting our power supplies!" Chip yelled angrily, straight into Sora's ear.

Dale grabbed hold of his broom and used one end to push Sora's face into a grin. "Smile!" he chanted cheerfully. "Think _happy_ thoughts!"

Sora looked first at Donald and Goofy, and then at Chip and Dale. After a moment, a true smile spread across Sora's face. Chip and Dale grinned, glancing proudly at each other as though they had done their job well.

"Guess you're right," Sora said. "No use crying when there's still work to be done, huh? So, where to next?"

Donald and Goofy exchanged cheerful glances and then looked out the window.

"To the stars, kid!" the duck said with a wink. "Wherever destiny leads us!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **A few more movie references thrown in... Nothin' real huge, but interesting all the same. Right? 

Many many _many _infinite thanks to the manga for this chapter. If it hadn't been for that, I probably never would've been able to figure out the battle with the Trickmaster. You all saw how the battle with the Guard Armor was (yikes). If I hadn't found the manga by the time I wrote this, we would've ended up with something more like that. Also props for the ending of this chapter goes to the manga. Ahh... Wonderland would've been nothin' without that manga around.

Stick around, guys. There's still a lot more to come. :D


	10. Go the Distance

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Thanks for all the reviews so far guys! It really means a lot to me that the story is enjoyable so far. I hope it's not too confusing or anything. :) Thanks very much to you all!

* * *

_**Chapter 9  
Go the Distance**_

_Olympus_

Donald leaned forward in his driver's seat, squinting at something in the distance. He blinked once or twice, unable to believe what he was seeing. It didn't take long for Sora to notice that Donald was staring dumbfounded out the window. Sora leaned forward in his seat and looked out the window, trying to see what his companion was staring at. After a while, he gave up.

"What're you looking at, Donald?"

The duck pointed at a white object floating in the distance, slowly getting closer. "I think that's a building."

"What?" Sora followed Donald's pointing finger.

The court wizard was right; that something looked like a building, completely surrounded by wisps of white clouds and mist. It wasn't round like a planet at all. It seemed to be perched on a platform that was floating out in the middle of space. Sora could hardly believe what they were seeing. There was actually a building.

It took a few moments for Donald to figure out some way to get them to disembark onto this new "world" (if they could still call it an actual world), but soon enough, the trio were standing before a very large stone building.

It seemed like a giant off-white fortress, as its front wall seemed to be very similar to that of castles from the medieval times. There were several large rectangular holes which must have served as windows to the inside, though they were too high up for anyone of normal size to look through. There was a large gate that looked like it had come from Greece, with the stone pillars on either side of it, along with two large, intricate golden markings. Above the large double doors was a golden embossed image of men in armor, holding their swords in the most heroic manner. On the doors themselves were the carvings of lightning bolts, pointing toward each other.

The trio stepped up to the doors and touched the doors gingerly.

"Whaddaya suppose is in here?" Goofy asked his companions.

Sora took a step backward, taking the image of the fortress in. "I dunno," he replied. A smile then creeped its way onto Sora's face. "But I can't _wait_ to find out!" He then shoved himself up against one of the doors, trying to shove it open. "Help me out, Goofy?"

Goofy immediately joined Sora in heaving the double doors open, while Donald merely rolled his eyes and tapped one webbed foot impatiently on the floor. The sun suddenly shone through the thick fog, illuminating the fortress, making the off white stone seem to glow gold. After a moment, Goofy and Sora had managed to open the doors enough for all three of them to slip through and step inside.

This gate apparently led to some kind of opening area to a building still further within. On the opposite wall were two gigantic golden statues of two men in Grecian armor, holding their shields and swords, their blades clashing dramatically over another set of doors just below. These doors were similar to those that comprised the main gateway. At the feet of the golden statues were small torches, which were currently lit, even though the sun had brightened the scenery.

"What _is _this place?" Sora murmured, his question directed at no one in particular.

Donald shook his head. "Who knows?"

Goofy tapped Sora on the shoulder, a grin across his face. "Let's go take a look in there, Sora!" he suggested cheerily. "Maybe there's someone inside who can tell us somethin'."

"Good thinking, Goofy!" Sora smiled back. "Let's go!"

The two took off running to the other side. Donald scratched his head. "Did he just say 'thinking' and 'Goofy' in the same sentence?"

As Donald hurried to catch up with his companions, Sora and Goofy pushed open the doors slowly and peered inside.

They had entered what appeared to be a lobby of some kind. There were two torches on either side of the small stone room that cast their yellow-orange light on the walls. Dead ahead, opposite of the entrance, was a doorway that currently had a small metal chain going across it with a sign that said "closed" in boxy writing. On one side of the room was a large stone pedestal of some sort, standing firmly beneath one of the torches. There was a smaller, different looking pedestal that looked more like the top of a stone column pushed against the wall beneath a sign. Standing on that pedestal and working on that sign was the strangest creature that Sora had probably ever seen in his life.

This creature looked something like a small, plump, reddish brown goat, except for the fact that the upper half of him was shaped like a small, plump, human man with red hair and a goatee. Two goat horns protruded from the top of his balding head, and his goat tail wagged slowly from side to side as the creature examined the sign posted on the wall before him.

Donald, Sora, and Goofy exchanged glances before they approached him, slowly.

"Umm… Excuse me?" Sora moved forward slightly, nervously.

"Good timing," the creature barked forcefully as he fixed the sign. "Give me a hand, will ya?" Without looking at Sora, he pointed toward the large stone pedestal on the other side. "Move that pedestal over there for me? I gotta spruce this place up for the games."

The trio looked over at the large stone pedestal, then at each other, and shrugged. Sora moved to one side of the pedestal, sizing up the large stone block, and began to push it as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge. He looked at Donald and Goofy, his eyes wide.

"It weighs a _ton_!" he told them.

He tried harder, digging his sneakers into the stone flooring, only to find that it seemed more like the pedestal was pushing _him_. Donald and Goofy then moved to help him, only to get the same results. Sora groaned, leaning against the pedestal in defeat, and looked over at the goat-man.

"It's _way _too _heavy_!" he moaned pathetically, recovering.

His companions helped Sora to his feet, and the three of them moved back toward the goat-man. The goat-man froze upon hearing the words, as though it were the greatest surprise of his life.

"What? Too heavy?" He practically laughed, like he had just heard a great joke. "Since when have _you _been such a little..." The goat-man turned around. The moment he saw Sora, he stopped talking. He dropped his arms. "Oh. Wrong guy." The goat-man put his hands on his stubby goat hips as he stared down at Sora.

"What're you _doing _here?" he demanded as he hopped down from his pedestal. "This here's the world-famous Coliseum – _heroes only_!" He then switched his attention to Donald, approaching him maliciously. Donald backed up as the goat-man approached him, raising his hands as though in surrender.

"And _I _got my _hands_ full preparing for the games. So run along, _pip-squeaks_."

Sora narrowed his eyes at the goat-man, clenching his teeth together, his hands turning into fists at his side. What was _with _this guy?

The goat-man looked up at Sora, putting his hands on his sides. Upon seeing Sora's frustrated, offended expression, his face softened slightly.

"Look, it's like this." He turned on one goat hoof and began to pace across the room. "Heroes are comin' from _all over _to fight ferocious monsters right here in the Coliseum."

Donald folded his arms angrily over his chest, narrowing his eyes. "You got heroes standing right in front of you."

Goofy grinned. "Yup!" He put his gloved hands on Sora's shoulders proudly. "He's a _real hero_ chosen by the Keyblade!" Sora smiled, slightly embarrassed by being singled out.

"And _we're_ heroes, too," Donald added proudly.

The goat-man's eyes went wide in shock. "_Hero_?" he echoed in disbelief, pointing one finger at Sora. "_That _runt?" He then went into a series of uncontrollable laughter, slapping his goat thighs and clutching his sides.

"What's so funny?" Sora demanded, taking offense. "I've fought a _bunch _of monsters!"

As soon as the goat-man managed to stop laughing, his angry face reappeared. "Hey, if you can't even move _this_," he said, moving toward the pedestal.

He placed both hands on one side and began to shove as hard as he could. The stone block wouldn't budge. Sora smiled slightly, pleased at having gotten some kind of revenge.

"…you can't call yourself," the goat-man continued between grunts.

He paused as he shifted his position and pressed his back against the stone block and tried to push it that way. Sora folded his arms over his chest. The trio exchanged glances, shaking their heads shallowly from side to side. Now it was just getting to look somewhat pathetic.

"…a hero!" the goat-man finished, before collapsing against the side of the pedestal.

The goat-man gasped for air, coughing slightly. After a moment, he looked over at the trio as Sora and Donald rolled their eyes.

"Okay," the goat-man said grumpily, defeated. "So it takes more than brawn." He rose to his feet, using the pedestal for support as he tried to catch his breath. "Well, let's see what _you _can do."

He then dusted himself off and waddled across the room. Glancing over his shoulder, he gestured for Sora and the others to follow. Sora, Donald and Goofy looked at each other before following the goat-man. The goat-man loosened the chain that blocked the entry way.

"This way," he said, gesturing to the entrance before entering himself.

The trio exchanged glances before following.

* * *

The goat-man had led the trio into a huge battle arena like the ones that could be found in history books about ancient Greece. Along two sides were the seats; gigantic slabs of stone that had been carved to serve as benches for an audience. Between the seating areas was the actual battle area, signified by six large stone pillars that formed an irregular hexagon. Within the boundaries of the designated area, the flooring was no longer as smooth in comparison to the flooring of the lobby; possibly to help the fighters maintain their footing during battle. 

Opposite of the entrance to the arena was a large, caged doorway. Sora knew from what bit of ancient Grecian history he could remember that it was beyond that caged gate were the opponents. In Greece they had used lions and other kinds of wild beasts. Yet something told Sora that in this case, those opponents were going to be monsters. Possibly hordes of Heartless.

At the moment, the goat-man was moving sets of wooden barrels into the ring, putting them in some kind of formation. He had incited Goofy and Donald to help him move them around, but had insisted that Sora stay put on the wooden bench. Sora could do little other than twiddle his thumbs and gaze at his surroundings, particularly at a small chalkboard that stood nearby because of the numerous scratches that could be found on its surface.

As Goofy set down a barrel in the spot that Phil had pointed out to him, he looked up at the goat-man, a question burning in his mind.

"How do you know so much about heroes, Mr. Goat-man, sir?" Goofy asked.

"'Cause I'm a hero trainer," the goat said gruffly over his shoulder as he hurried to grab hold of another barrel. "The name's Philoctetes. Call me 'Phil'."

"Can I ask another question, Mr. Phil?" Goofy continued. "Uh, how come you're half goat?"

Phil glanced over at Goofy as though he'd never been more annoyed by anyone in his entire life.

"You never seen a satyr before?"

"Uh…" Sora bit back his lip as he tried to find a nicer way to put it and failed. "No."

The satyr shook his head from side to side, clearly annoyed. Sora laughed nervously.

"So, if you're a hero trainer, who've you trained so far?" he continued curiously.

He scoffed, as though that was the silliest question anyone had ever asked him.

"I've trained all those would-be heroes; Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus." Phil paused, making a face. "A lot of 'eus's. Then there was Achilles." A smile crossed his face briefly. "That guy practically had it all. But none o' those guys could go the distance the way that _he_ can."

Sora tilted his head to one side, confused. He was just about to ask who "he" was, when Goofy and Donald came forward.

"We're all done, Mr. Hero Trainer, sir!" Goofy said with a chuckle.

Phil looked over at the work that had been done and nodded his approval. "Good work," he said firmly. And then turned back to Sora, saying, "This trial's tough, kid. You ready?"

Sora practically jumped to his feet, a grin on his face. "Am I _ever_! So what do I gotta do?"

The trainer pointed toward the barrels. "All ya gotta do is break all o' those barrels in less than a minute. Got it?"

Eagerly, Sora smiled. "No problem."

He ran forward, willing the Keyblade into his hand. He positioned himself in a place where he could see all of the barrels. There were three sets of barrels; one set was placed in a V shape to his left, another in a semi-circle at his right, and the last set stacked in a pyramid beyond the V-shaped set. Sora smiled to himself. Then, gripping the handle tight in both hands, Sora looked over at Phil and waited for his signal. The satyr waddled over to the bench and seated himself on it. As soon as he was settled, he looked over Sora and dropped his hand as though it were a flag.

Almost immediately, Sora took off to his right, holding the Keyblade out to his side as he U-turned along the set of barrels. The Keyblade struck every barrel, destroying them as Sora passed. Sora then headed for the V shape, picking up speed, adjusting his hold on his weapon, and then slashed through the barrels, striking left and right such that he struck every barrel in the V. He slashed horizontally through the barrel at the top of the V, smiling.

Then there was only one set of barrels left. Sora charged up slightly before he jumped into the air, the Keyblade gleaming in the sunlight, and slashed vertically downward into the barrels. He ended up landing in the center of the barrel pyramid. There, Sora adjusted again and, holding out his weapon, spun in a wide circle. The barrels practically exploded open as the Keyblade struck them, small bits of wooden debris and dust flying into the air. As soon as the dust was settled, Sora quickly searched out for straggler barrels and cut them down with ease.

Phil raised his hand. "Time!" The satyr's eyes were wide with surprise. "Thirty-two seconds!" He looked up at Sora and smiled slightly, impressed. "You know, you ain't bad, kid."

Sora chuckled to himself as he approached Phil, putting his arms over his head casually. He grinned confidently at Donald, who gave him a thumbs up. "Looks like I'm headed for the games."

The goat-man's face immediately hardened. He put his fists on his waist.

"Afraid _not_."

Both Donald and Sora's faces dropped as they turned to look at Phil in disbelief. Sora's hands fell from behind his head and he lurched forward as though he was spitting out the words. "Why not?"

"Two words!" Phil barked, raising two fingers for Sora to see. "You guys _ain't_ heroes!"

As Goofy listened to Phil, he raised his hand and began to count on his fingers. He made a face. That didn't add up to two words. Meanwhile, Sora and Donald's expressions took on a sadder appearance as they watched Phil. Donald sighed, his head hanging.

"Come on!" Sora pleaded stubbornly.

Phil merely folded his arms over his chest and turned his back on Sora and the others. After a long moment of tense silence, Sora relented. Still upset over the entire thing, Sora gestured to his companions and led the way out of the arena in complete silence. They trudged through the lobby, out the front doors, and down the stone steps into the courtyard, Sora's teeth still clenched. What would it _take_?

Then a mysterious voice sounded from near the Coliseum entrance, causing the trio's steps to slow and eventually come to a halt.

"Awww, rather a _stubborn _old goat, wouldn't you say?"

The trio turned to look at the speaker and was shocked to see a tall, blue skinned man in a loosely fitting black toga standing near the doorway. He was a strange looking man, with round yellow eyes and blue fire in place of hair. He waved one hand casually at the trio, showing a part of his smile; a crack between thin black lips, revealing the jagged yellow teeth within.

Donald narrowed his eyes and pointed one finger at the man accusingly. "Who are _you_?" he demanded of him.

The man began to move forward, closer to the trio. He laughed suddenly as though just realizing something interesting about them. "Whoa, whoa, hold on there, _fuzz boy_. Wait, let me guess. _You_ want to enter the games, right?"

He put one hand on Sora's shoulder. Sora looked down at the hand. His blue fingers were long and skinny, and the tips felt cold on his skin. A strange chill ran up and down Sora's spine as though he had been encountered by death itself. He then turned to look up into the man's face.

"Well, then, _hey_," the man added quietly, looking down coolly into Sora's face. He moved his other hand slowly toward Sora. "Get a load of _this_."

His fingers cupped themselves as though he was holding something in his hand. As Sora turned his attention to it, a bright white-blue light shone into his eyes. Then suddenly, in the strange man's hand was a long, thin, beige slip of paper bearing the same symbols that could be found all around the Coliseum. Sora knew instantly what it was, even if he couldn't read the boxy lettering that was written all over its surface. A smile slowly spread onto his face.

"A pass?" Sora looked up at the man in surprise. Why was this man helping them?

"It's all _yours_," the man said with a mysterious smile as Sora took the pass from his hand. He released Sora from his hold and began to walk toward the exit. "Good luck, kid."

Sora turned excitedly to Donald and Goofy. "We can get into the games!" he told them in a hushed, urgent voice, his blue eyes glimmering.

As the mysterious man pulled away from the trio and looked ahead of himself, the smile dropped from his face. His tone took on a more sarcastic, almost malicious turn that neither Donald, Sora, or Goofy could hear.

"I'm pulling for you, little shorty."

* * *

Sora burst through the doors, a wide grin on his face. Donald and Goofy entered just as quickly, their expressions equally as excited and eager as Sora's. Clutching the entry pass between two fingers and holding it out in front of him, Sora ran toward Phil. 

The satyr turned around at the sound of Sora's approach. Sora screeched to a halt before Phil and handed him the pass. He peered at the slip of paper for a moment, then looked up at Sora and the others in surprise.

"Hey, how'd you _get _this?"

"Can we enter the games now?" Sora asked hurriedly, shifting his weight anxiously from one foot to the other.

Phil looked back down at the pass, scratching the top of his balding head for a moment. "Well… I guess so." He smiled slightly and nodded at Sora. "We start with the preliminaries! You ready?"

The Key Bearer took a moment to check with his companions before answering. "Let's go!"

As Phil unhooked the chain blocking the arena entrance, he looked over at the trio briefly. "Some real _weirdos _signed up for the games," he cautioned them. "Better watch yourself."

Both Sora and Goofy nodded at Phil, understanding what had been said. Without further ado, Phil led the trio back into the arena. As Sora moved to follow, Donald grabbed the hood of his jacket.

"Hey, what're you..."

"We could end up facing some Heartless," Donald whispered to Sora.

Silently, Sora nodded. "I know."

* * *

The preliminary round was a set of maybe twenty of the small shadow Heartless creatures that the trio had encountered all over Traverse Town. Even though they were surprised to find them in the Coliseum, all three fighters were confident that they would win. Fighting these creatures off would be no problem, since they had so much experience with them already. 

For the most part, Goofy and Donald stayed close together; Since Donald stayed back as much as possible and used several different magic spells, only entering the fray when he was needed, it was up to Goofy to help in defending the duck when he was open to attack. Sora circled around them, dealing the most damage to the monsters, taking them out in just a few short swings. The preliminary round, overall, did not last very long.

As soon as it was over, the fighters returned to the sidelines, where Phil waited by the blackboard. He pulled out his clipboard, nodding his approval at them as he wrote some things down.

"You're no heroes yet, but you ain't doing bad," he told them. "Lucky you came to me for coaching."

Just as soon as Phil had shut his mouth, a mysterious figure approached, having just come through the entrance to the arena. A tall young man with spiky blonde hair that was similar in style to Sora's and piercing ice blue eyes. He was dressed in a large, baggy, bluish black garb. His torso was wrapped in a series of red, black, and navy blue belts.

His legs were also strapped in by dark grey belts just below his knees. The bluish black material of his outfit bunched at his knees over the straps and at his ankles over the top of his large, heavy looking leather boots. On his right leg were three large, armored plates that gleamed in the light. His muscular arms were wrapped in long black guards that extended down his forearm such that they could be seen sticking out from underneath his fingerless leather gloves.

The man's left arm was adorned by several additional pieces: a metal armored plate on the shoulder and four spiked metal bands; two on his lower arm and two on his upper. The fingers on his left hand looked like sharp, golden hawk talons. Draped over his shoulders was a large crimson red cape that needed to be wrapped thickly once or twice around his neck. It had been wrapped in such a way that the lower half of the man's face was hidden from view. The bottom edge of the cape looked as though it had gotten singed in a fire.

He approached in long, slow, confident strides, his cape billowing impressively behind him. Donald, Sora, and Goofy eyed him as he came toward them, their gaze following his every move. The man's eyes met Sora's and they stared each other down for a moment as he passed. He soon turned away as though he had lost interest, continuing on his way to the other side of the arena.

Sora slowly turned back to the others. Phil watched as the man walked away, stroking his goatee thoughtfully before letting out a low, impressed whistle and shook his head slowly from side to side. He folded his stubby arms over his chest.

"Something tells me _he'll_ be a tough one to beat," Phil mused aloud. He looked up at Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "Who knows, maybe you'll end up facing him."

Sora took a quick glance back over his shoulder at the mysterious young man. He had looked _really _strong. Was he ready to take on an opponent like that? The last actual _human _person he had fought with had been…

"You ready to get back in there, kid?" Phil asked, interrupting Sora's thoughts.

"Oh, yeah," Sora said after a moment, somewhat disoriented. "Yeah, we're ready." He turned to the other two. "Right, guys?"

Both Donald and Goofy nodded. Phil tucked away his clipboard and seated himself on the bench. He pointed toward the arena and gestured for the trio to enter. "Then you better get out there!"

The trio spun around and ran back into the arena. Sora took a deep breath as he cleared his head. He didn't have to worry about that strange blonde guy at the moment. What he had to focus on was the group of small, flying, magic using, mushroom-like Heartless that had just appeared before him.

The next two rounds went quickly. Not as swiftly or easily as the preliminary round had been, of course, but quickly all the same. Each battle was slightly more difficult than the one that came before it.

The second round had been a set of small quick moving Heartless that had required Sora to depend heavily on his newfound magical abilities. That wasn't a bad thing, however, since it allowed him to practice.

Before the third battle began, the trio conferred with Phil once again at the blackboard.

"You're better than I thought, kid!" Phil told Sora proudly. He then sighed, dropping his clipboard slightly and looking up into the sky. "Wish _he _was here to see this."

Sora tilted his head curiously to one side. "You mentioned this guy earlier, right? Who is it?"

"Hercules," Phil said, swelling with pride. "He's a hero if there ever was one. Too bad he's off visiting his father."

The trio exchanged glances, Donald shrugging. Whoever this "Hercules" guy was, they'd have to wait to meet him. After a brief moment, Phil sent the trio back into the arena for their third round.

The third battle was surmised of several of the armored Heartless that they had seen at Traverse town, together with several of the smaller Shadows. Not a difficult battle, but they still needed to exert a little more effort than they had previously. Sora left the Shadows to Donald and Goofy while he worked on cutting the armored ones down one by one.

They continued into a fourth battle almost immediately after. This battle was almost identical to the previous one, except for the fact that the small magical Heartless had joined the fray.

Meaning that each one of the trio had a specific group to attend to. While Sora continued to take care of the armored Heartless, rarely ever asking for support from his companions, Donald and Goofy assigned themselves to the remaining sets. Goofy barreled shield first through the hordes of the Shadows, while Donald used his magical powers against the fire-casting Heartless. The battle was longer than before, but that only made victory feel that much better to the fighters.

* * *

As Sora, Donald, and Goofy celebrated their victory amongst themselves, a pair of dead, yellow eyes glared at them from within the shadows of the arena gate. The gate was closed, allowing the light to only enter between the large metal bars. The spaces were big enough to see the entire arena through. Big enough to spy on the trio from afar as they made their way through the "novice" round. 

The mysterious, otherworldly being narrowed his eyes at Sora's carefree smile, the blue fire atop his head burning with a little more malice than usual.

"That little _punk_ is your next opponent, okay?" His face hardened further. "Now don't blow it. Just take him out."

The strange young man stood leaning against the stone wall, one golden clawed hand resting on his hip, his other hand tapping the stone impatiently. He opened his ice blue eyes and turned them onto the young boy who stood laughing with his friends. He had seen him from up close as well when he entered the arena. The young man flicked some of his blonde hair out of his face as he then looked at the blue-skinned deity who was giving him orders.

"Hades, the great god of the Underworld, is afraid of a _kid_?" he said coldly from within the folds of his crimson cape. He closed his eyes, annoyed. "Sorry, but my contract says - "

"_I know!_" the god yelled angrily, turning to look at the mercenary full in the face. The fire on the top of his head flaring, flashing a hot orange color. "You think I don't know! I _wrote _the contract! I know it says you're only required to kill _Hercules _in this tournament. But you've gotta fight _that kid _to get to him!" He pointed angrily in Sora's direction.

Right at the moment, Sora was getting some kind of scolding from the hero-trainer for some careless mistake he had made in the midst of the last battle. He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

The warrior didn't even flinch. He let out a shallow, exasperated breath. He no longer enjoyed taking orders from others. Hades took a step back, taking a deep breath in order to calm himself down and then changed his tone to a more playful one.

"Come on. Hey, it's like that old goat says. Rule number eleven: It's all just a game, so let loose and have fun with it!"

He chuckled slightly, glancing at the young man out of the corner of his eye. No reaction from the warrior. Hades straightened to his full height, running a hand over his fiery hair.

"I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?" he continued nonchalantly.

Wordlessly, the warrior straightened and walked away slowly, taking his large confident strides. He didn't even give the god of the Underworld so much as a second glance.

Hades watched him leave in silence. As soon as he had vanished out of sight, he let out an annoyed breath and made a face.

"Geez," he muttered. "Stiffer than the stiffs back home."

A wicked smile appeared on his face. "_Still_… suckers like _him _are hard to come by…"

A malicious roaring noise could be heard from within the darkness behind him, deeper within the hold chambers.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Just so it's known... random information: Hades has always been my favorite villain. :) These chapters in the Coliseum were hard to write, since I didn't have any manga references at all (they weren't released yet), but I think I did a pretty okay job. There's only one movie reference here (hey, this world takes place _after _the movie)... For the battles here, I didn't wanna emphasize them because they're just little fights and they have next to no bearing on the story at all. So they're just brief "in a nutshell" type things. I've got more important battles coming up. No way I'm gonna waste words on the insignificant ones. :D 


	11. Zero to Hero

**_Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko_**

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Oh my goodness! I found the other novelizations of Kingdom Hearts! Hahahaha, that took me a while. :D Kudos to those people, it's tough cookies to turn this game into a book. ...And I only just recently felt the need to announce something about my novelization. I've had to explain this several times to my classmates, so it's only right that I share. While it _is _true that I borrow a lot of stuff from the KH Manga, I will always _always _stick more closely to what's in the game. I take artistic license when I have to, but if there's dialogue for it in the game, then I'll always use that. I'm not one to change what worked for the game. Sorry if that means it gets kinda boring to the people who've already played through the entire game... ... I really do like some of the stuff that's in the other adaptations, though. :)

**Thanks again for all the reviews!**

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* * *

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**Chapter 10  
Zero to Hero**

_Olympus_

The trio charged into their next battle, their weapons flashing, and adrenaline pumping through their veins so hard that they could hear it in their ears. This battle was going to be more difficult than the others. They had been pitted against several of the magic Heartless, a few Shadows, and one very large, very round, very _fat _Heartless that drummed its belly dauntingly at the trio.

As Donald and Goofy split themselves between the Shadows and the floating mushrooms, Sora made a charge for who he had just dubbed, "the Big One." He clutched the Keyblade tight between his hands and swung as hard as he could against the Big One's belly, but to no effect. The Big One was so fat that Sora was sent backwards slightly, his weapon bouncing off of the enemy as if it had hit rubber. Sora staggered backward somewhat as he tried to regain his footing. He bit down on his lip. This wasn't good.

"Donald! Goofy! Help!"

"Hold yer tail feathers!" Donald yelled as he charged up a fire spell. "I still got _these _guys to deal with!" He gritted his teeth as a fireball shot out from the staff and connected with one of his enemies.

"Be there in a jiffy, Sora!" Goofy called as he made a charge through the last remaining Shadow toward Sora and the Big One. "Cha – arge!"

The captain of the guard rammed into the Big One's belly, only to bounce backwards, flipping head over heels as he rolled across the sandy ground. Goofy was stunned. "Ahyuk."

"_Goofy_!" Sora cried out plaintively as he continued to attempt to hurt the Big One.

"Coming!" Goofy said as he rose to his feet and hurried back to Sora.

For a long while, the two of them tried to hurt the Big One somehow, but no matter what they did, the Big One would merely move its belly into the attack, rendering it ineffective. After a long while of this, the Heartless banged the side of its belly with one fist, then leapt into the air and came back down with a loud, earth shattering thud. The thud sent shockwaves through the floor, knocking Sora and Goofy down onto their rear ends.

The Big One seemed to be laughing for a moment, and then, just as it readied itself to leap again, a loud bang was heard from behind. It halted, having felt the pain of a successful hit. Sora and Goofy peered around the large edges of the Big One and saw Donald on the other side, wielding his staff proudly.

"That's it!" Sora said as it dawned on him. "Its _belly _serves as a shield, so its _back _is completely wide open!"

He jumped back to his feet and tried to get behind the Big One, but the Heartless seemed to be perfectly aware of its weakness, since, as Sora tried to run around it, it spun around to follow him. Sora gritted his teeth angrily. Well, _that _stunk.

"Donald! Goofy! Distract it!"

His two companions nodded in agreement. Goofy rose to his feet and readied his shield while Donald took a deep breath before charging, his staff flailing about in the air. They began to bang their weapons against the Big One's belly. It turned its head so that it was staring down at the two smaller figures who were attacking it. Sora used the opportunity to his advantage, getting a firm grip on the Keyblade. He leapt into the air and slashed vertically downwards on the Big One's backside. As soon as both feet touched ground again, Sora took the Keyblade and thrust the blade into the Heartless and watched as the Big One burst open like a balloon.

Sora grinned, looking over at Donald and Goofy and giving them a thumbs up sign.

"Good job."

All three of them turned around to face the speaker. Standing not ten feet away from where Donald and Goofy stood was the mysterious young warrior they had seen earlier. The man's gaze turned onto Sora, his ice blue eyes narrowing as he analyzed the boy. Sora took a hesitant step forward.

"You're the guy from earlier," he said, slowly moving to join Donald and Goofy.

The man nodded. "My name's Cloud Strife."

Then, without a word, Cloud brought forward a large, powerful looking sword. It had to have weighed a ton. It was at least twice Sora's height. The dark metal gleamed maliciously in the sunlight from within its wrappings of thin brown cloth. The red hilt was held by one firm, gloved hand, supporting the huge blade. Cloud positioned himself into a ready position, clutching the sword steadily between both hands. Sora felt a chill run up his spine.

"I commend you for your performance with that monster," Cloud said in a soft, firm voice. "Let me be your next opponent."

Without even waiting for a response, Cloud made a charge. Sora leapt back as a nervous reaction, nearly tripping over himself. Donald and Goofy jumped awkwardly out of Cloud's way, falling painfully onto their butts. Cloud seemed to fly at Sora with an amazing speed. Before Sora knew it, he was hurtling across the arena, his chest stinging with the pain of having been struck by Cloud's gargantuan sword.

"Sora!"

He hit the ground, rolling head over heels, the Keyblade violently torn from his grasp as Sora practically skidded across the sandy floor. The sand and dust flew into the air, making a brown dust cloud so thick that Sora could barely breathe, on top of the fact that practically all the wind had just been completely knocked out of him. Sora gasped and coughed for air, his entire body aching. The dust stung at his eyes, bringing out pained tears. Then slowly, painstakingly, he attempted to rise to his feet.

Cloud straightened, watching Sora from across the stadium. He then began taking slow, confident steps toward where Sora was lying on the ground. Donald and Goofy exchanged glances, then jumped to their feet and ran at Cloud, their weapons flailing. The warrior glanced over his shoulder and, seeing the duo coming at him, adjusted his hold on his weapon and swung, knocking Donald and Goofy away with the flat side of his weapon.

They weren't knocked away as far or as hard as Sora had, so it took less time for them to recover. Donald gritted his teeth, pulling out a Hi-Potion bottle.

"Goofy! Distract him!"

The duck immediately made a break for where Sora was, the Hi-Potion bottle in hand. Goofy swallowed hard, watching his companion with wide eyes. He then clutched his shield tight in his white gloved hands and barreled toward Cloud, shield first. Cloud stopped walking as Donald rushed past him, turning around to look at Goofy with his icy gaze. Goofy's heart almost stopped beating, but he continued his charge. For the Key Bearer!

"Sora!" Donald yelled, biting the cork off the top of the bottle as he knelt near Sora.

The boy struggled to speak between coughs, but he could barely breathe, let alone speak. Donald helped Sora into a sitting position, and offered him the Hi-Potion.

"Come on, kid, drink!"

Sora grabbed the bottle, wincing at the stab of pain in his arm as he did so, and hurriedly chugged the potion down. Donald looked urgently back at Goofy, who was backing away from the slowly approaching Cloud. He then looked back at Sora, who had just downed the whole bottle. He chucked the bottle to the ground, taking slow, deep breaths while waiting for his energy to return. Sora looked at Donald and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Donald."

"Now that you're feeling better," Donald said, helping Sora to his feet, "we've gotta get back in there and _beat _this guy!"

As Sora began to regain his balance, Donald hurried back into the fray, waving his staff wildly in the air. A tiny bolt of lightning came out of thin air and struck Cloud, though hardly fazing him. Sora stumbled toward where the Keyblade was lying on the floor, still waiting for his body to fully recover from Cloud's first strike. His mind whirled. If this was the extent of the warrior's power, how could he possibly last much longer against him?

Cloud stepped out of the way of Goofy's charge, glancing over at Sora. He watched for a moment as the young kid bent down to pick up the Keyblade, shaking his head vigorously from side to side. Cloud turned back to the other two, adjusting his weapon. He pushed them away easily, with enough force to send them flying a distance and to knock them out.

"I'm not after you two," he muttered coldly.

Sora gripped the Keyblade in his hands, his senses coming back to life altogether too quickly. The adrenaline started to pump through his body, waking him up. Sora could hear the blood in his ears. His entire body was suddenly on full alert. And the very first thing Sora saw was Cloud, holding his gigantic weapon, coming at him for another swing.

The warrior swung his sword vertically downwards with such power that the air screamed as it sliced through it. The muscles in Sora's legs reacted automatically, propelling him diagonally away from the strike, dodging the move in a roll. Cloud's eyes went wide in annoyance and surprise. He lifted his weapon from the ground and turned slowly to look at Sora.

"You're going to die anyway," he said firmly. "You might as well stand still."

"_What_?" Sora practically spat out the word. "What are you talking about?"

As Cloud swung his sword swiftly, Sora just barely managed to dodge by jumping out of the way. The blade still managed to scratch at Sora's jacket, almost hooking into Sora's chain necklace.

What was Cloud talking about? What did he mean by "you're going to die anyway"? That's when Sora saw something that scared him half to death.

Cloud took the hilt of his weapon into both hands and closed his eyes as his entire body began to glow orange. Then slowly, ever so slowly, emerging from behind Cloud's back, was a single black feathered wing. It emerged slowly from behind him, and then suddenly snapped open, revealing its full length. Raven black feathers floated slowly to the ground. Cloud reopened his eyes and glared maliciously at Sora.

"Stay still."

Then, without any further warning, Cloud charged at Sora, swinging his sword. He had done so with such speed that Sora had barely seen him move. One moment, Cloud's wing had just emerged, and the next, Cloud had come so close that he could see the whites of his eyes. And the next moment, Sora found himself spinning through the air, flying across the arena, his body suddenly screaming in pain. It felt like every part of his body had been hit.

As soon as he hit the ground, all he could see was the sky, then the ground, then sky again, over and over until he suddenly hit what Sora could only think to be one of the large stone pillars that surrounded the arena. Every part of his body suddenly felt like it was burning. He had scratches on every exposed part of his body. His lungs heaved painfully, searching for air, but getting only dirt. He could barely open his eyes as more tears of pain streamed down his face. All he could see was darkness. All he could hear was the sound of his own, strangled breathing.

Then came the sound of boots crunching against the ground. Slow, heavy, confident footsteps. Getting louder, approaching, and then stopping nearby. Sora's chest heaved painfully. He coughed and wheezed through the ache. He tried to force his eyes open so he could see the victor. Cloud could be seen looming over him, standing poised with his sword in one hand. Sora released a moan of defeat and hung his head. He had lost. They had completely lost to Cloud Strife.

Cloud stared down at Sora for a moment before shutting his ice colored eyes. He took in a slow even breath, opened his eyes, and slowly raised his sword into the air. Sora looked back up at Cloud, his eyes wide in shock and alarm.

"W-What're you doing?" he said as loudly as he could.

The mercenary shook his head slowly. "Duty calls."

It was only then that Phil, who had been watching in silence the whole time, dropped his clipboard and started to run into the arena. He was about to bark out some orders when he bumped into somebody, somebody tall and solid, dressed in a long black toga with blue fire for hair. The god of the Underworld's eyes glimmered in excited malice as he waited for Cloud to complete the job, as he waited for the blade to slice the mere boy.

Sora braced himself for the worst, closing his eyes, his entire body trembling in panic. Cloud was going to kill him! That's what he had been talking about before! This warrior was going to kill him! Sora's breathing came in quick gasps, his ribcage aching with every sharp intake of breath.

Just then, Donald and Goofy came back to their senses. Looking about them, panicked, they caught sight of Sora, completely defeated and kneeling in terror before a victorious Cloud Strife who had his large sword raised in the air. The duo scrambled painfully to their feet and began to run toward them, shouting Sora's name in panic. Cloud gripped the hilt of his weapon firmly in his hands as he looked down at Sora. Then something within him caved. Slowly, the weapon was lowered to the ground. Slowly, Cloud backed away from where Sora knelt in defeat.

The fire on Hades' head began to burn in rage. He narrowed his eyes at the warrior before storming quickly toward the holding chambers, where the monsters waited to unleash their fury.

As Sora looked back at Cloud in surprise, Donald and Goofy reached Sora and knelt by his side, offering him Potion bottles. They kept saying his name and asking him if he was alright, but Sora's senses were still dulled by the battle, and his mind reeled in confusion as he watched Cloud back away slowly, turning his eyes to the ground. What had just happened?

Suddenly, a giant black paw descended from out of nowhere, crushing Cloud underneath it. Phil jumped backward with a loud yell of alarm. All eyes followed the giant paw up to its owner. There, looming over them all in such a way that it completely blocked out the sunlight, was a gigantic three headed black dog. All three sets of sharp yellow teeth gleamed viciously, saliva dripping from the tips of the monster dog's fangs. All three pairs of eyes glared down at the fragile creatures before them maliciously. The monster then reared back and released a loud round of howls.

Donald and Goofy grabbed onto Sora and tried to help him to his feet as fast as they could, without much success. Sora struggled to get his own footing when he caught sight of a familiar being, his eyes going wide. "That guy…"

Cloud winced in pain as he lay practically crushed beneath the beast's paw. He could barely move. It angered him greatly to think that the one blow from the monster dog had beaten him. Suddenly, a voice pierced through his ear. It was quiet and distant, but Cloud managed to catch every word.

"Oh, right," it was saying casually. "There was one other rule I forgot: Accidents happen."

Cloud recognized the voice and growled angrily to himself before his sight blurred and everything went black. The god of the Underworld had double crossed him. And now Sora knew why he had been helped into the tournament.

The monster roared and gnashed its teeth viciously as Donald, Goofy, and Phil helped Sora up onto the audience platform, Sora now back on his feet. The beast turned all its heads on them, and all of them seemed to grin malevolently. Then with a loud growl, the monster lunged at them, its many teeth gnashing together. Seeing this, Donald and Goofy released Sora from their grasp and fell backward onto the benches behind them, Sora dropping back to the ground. They had barely escaped the fury of the monster's jaws. The giant dog pulled back, growling, and then turned its attention onto Sora. Sora's face paled as the three heads made a break for him. The boy shut his eyes and shielded himself, prepared for the worst.

Suddenly, something dashed forward and stopped the creature, grabbing onto its mouth and holding it wide open. When Sora looked to see what had saved him, he saw a young man, not much older than twenty years of age. He was dressed in golden Grecian warrior armor with a small blue cape over his shoulders, making him look something like a superhero. He was obviously a trained fighter, as practically his entire body was chiseled and muscular. He looked at Sora while he held the creature's jaw open, his short, wavy red hair spilling over his headband into his face, his blue eyes fierce as he analyzed the mere kid who sat on the floor just a few feet away from peril.

Phil looked over at the man, his face washing over with relief. "Herc!"

The Greek warrior glanced over his shoulder at the satyr briefly. "Phil!" he yelled commandingly. "Get them _out _of here!"

The satyr nodded before he hurried toward Sora and the others as quickly as they could, jumping down to the ground from atop the audience platform. Donald and Goofy leapt to the ground, helped Sora back up to his feet (though he no longer really needed them to help him) and dashed out of the arena as fast as they could, together. Sora looked back at the Greek warrior as they exited. He saw him thrust the monster to the side, still holding it by the teeth and practically throw the beast to the ground. Sora's eyes went wide in shock as the trio passed under the doorway that led back to the lobby.

"Whew, that was close!" Phil exclaimed as soon as they had reached the lobby safely. He leaned against the wall and took in several long breaths.

"What _was _that thing?" Sora asked, turning to Phil.

"That was Cerberus, the guardian of the Underworld," the satyr explained. "Hercules should be able to handle him."

Sora slowly turned to look back to the arena. So that warrior was the Hercules that Phil had talked about before. He sighed remorsefully. It was too bad that Hercules only saw them at a low point in battle. If only he had come to see them battle when they had been doing well. Quite a first impression they had made on the best hero that Phil had ever trained.

Phil's face suddenly took on a graven expression as a thought struck him. "But then again, maybe not…"

Donald and Goofy looked at Phil, alarmed. "What?"

The trainer stroked his goatee for a moment as he thought, and then released a long breath. "This doesn't look good." He scratched his head in frustration, messing up what little hair he had on the top of his head. "I hope Herc's okay… Wish I could go in!"

That's when Sora decided. He took in a deep breath through his nostrils and spun around so that he was facing the entrance to the arena. Then, clenching his hands into tight fists, he moved forward, ready to step through and reenter the battle area, where Hercules was fighting the giant guard dog. He took a few more steps forward, gathering courage, until he was almost on top of the entrance.

Donald and Goofy looked at Sora, their eyes wide. "Sora?"

"Kid, you're not entering the arena, are ya?" Phil called out in alarm. "This ain't just some match! This is for _real_!"

"I'm not afraid," the Key Bearer said bravely. "You can decide if I'm hero material or not."

Phil looked up at Sora, concerned for the young boy who was about to take on a force greater than himself. Then, seeing the determined glow in Sora's eyes, Phil conceded and nodded.

"Be careful, kid."

And with that, Sora entered the long, dark hallway, determined to help Hercules fight Cerberus. Sora's companions exchanged glances, nodded, and then immediately rushed to his side. Sora looked at them in surprise.

"You guys, what're you…?"

"You're not gonna go _anywhere _without us," Goofy told him.

"That's right," Donald continued. "So if you think we're gonna let you barrel in there on your own, you're dead wrong!"

Sora smiled, feeling stronger and more confident than ever before. "Thanks, guys!"

Before the trio could enter the arena, Phil grabbed onto Sora's arm. "Before you go in there, I got two words of advice for you." He looked straight into Sora's face and smiled. He then pointed toward the arena. "ATTACK!"

The trio then bolted forward like Olympic racers, shooting down the dark hallway, their weapons appearing in their hands in a flash of light. They exploded into the arena and broke straight for Cerberus, who had driven Hercules up against the opposite wall. As soon as they entered, all three sets of the monster's ears perked up and all of the guard dog's heads turned around to look at the fresh meat. Sora swallowed hard as the beast slowly turned around so that it was facing them, the saliva dribbling maliciously from the corners of its lips.

Hercules looked over at the trio in surprise, watching for a moment as the trio stood their ground at the monster's slow approach. Once he had confirmed that they weren't planning on running away, Hercules made a break for where Cloud lay unconscious on the ground. He lifted Cloud to his feet, glanced up at the monster, and then, putting Cloud's body over one shoulder, hurried to the exit as fast as he could.

As the hero passed him, Sora and Hercules' eyes met for a moment. Sora flashed him a confident smile. Hercules smiled back and gave Sora an encouraging pat on the back before bolting down the exit. Taking another deep breath, Sora set his sights on the monstrous dog that stood towering before them. His companions glanced back at him, as though waiting for some kind of signal. Sora looked once at Donald, then at Goofy, and then nodded firmly. The trio charged.

The adrenaline ran through their bodies so quickly that the surge of it was almost unbearable. The first thing that Donald did was raise his staff into the air, his whole body glowing a bright yellow color. Several small clouds gathered over each of Cerberus' three heads and quickly unleashed their electric fury on their faces. One of the heads roared in anger as a lightning bolt stabbed it in the eye. Another attempted to chomp down on the clouds, while the third lowered its head and shook it from side to side, as though trying to ward the strings of electricity from its face.

Sora and Goofy didn't hesitate to use this opportunity to attack the head. They were on the lowered head as soon as the tip of its nose touched the floor, Goofy bashing the dog snout with his shield and Sora slashing and pounding on its face. The dog heads roared in fury. Donald then unleashed several relentless rounds of fireballs onto Cerberus' heads, screaming and wailing angrily in his hoarse duck voice. Goofy backed away from the heads for a moment and then, putting his shield over his head, launched himself into the air and smacked the underside of one of the monster's snouts.

One of the heads turned on Sora, quite suddenly, and opened its mouth wide. A cloud of darkness floated in the open space for a moment, and then a large, glowing pink ball of energy shot out of the void and straight at Sora. The boy used the Keyblade to block the attack, but was still knocked several feet away. He was sent rolling in the dirt, though not nearly as bad as it had been with Cloud's attack. Sora struggled back to his feet, shaking it off, and charged again. The head glared at him, growling angrily upon seeing the boy come back for more. Cerberus then began to gnash its teeth, leaning toward the trio and chomped, thankfully missing Goofy's head by a hair. Sora jumped away from the monster, looking over at Goofy, his eyes wide in alarm and concern.

"GOOFY! LOOK OUT!"

The captain of the guard's heart had almost stopped beating in fear, a cold chill running up his spine, momentarily paralyzing him. Goofy dropped to his knees, his body trembling. One of Cerberus' heads reared back and howled triumphantly before descending onto Goofy once again. Seeing that his companion had been just about incapacitated in fear, Sora leapt forward, pushing Goofy out of danger.

Donald wailed frantically as Cerberus caught Sora's jacket between its teeth and raised him high into the air. Sora began to yell, equally if not more panicked than Donald. After a moment, Sora began to pound on the dog's snout with the Keyblade, but to no avail. Cerberus held Sora fast by his jacket for a moment, and then suddenly tossed him into the air.

"SORA!"

The Key Bearer wailed in panic as he reached an apex and began to descend back down toward the arena. More specifically, toward one of Cerberus' open mouths. Then, coming up with an idea, Sora pointed the Keyblade toward Cerberus and did his best to focus on using magic. He shut his eyes as the Keyblade began to glow a red-orange tint, the metal suddenly burning hot between Sora's hands. It wasn't long before a large fireball shot out of the Keyblade and screamed through the air before hitting the exposed tongue. All three heads roared in pain and fury. The force of the magical explosion had moved Sora slightly to the side so that Sora was then hurtling toward Cerberus' backside. Thinking as fast as he could, Sora flipped himself in the air so that he would land on his feet.

As soon as Sora's sneakers touched the slick black fur on Cerberus' backside, he slipped, fell hard onto his butt, and slipped again. Before he could fall off the monster dog's back, Sora grabbed a handful of fur with his left hand and locked his feet firmly around a part of the beast's ribcage. Cerberus howled at the pull of its short, slick hair, and reared up onto its hind legs. Sora held onto the monster for dear life as he dangled from its backside, one hand clutching the hair. As soon as Cerberus dropped back onto all fours, the ground shook violently, knocking Donald and Goofy onto their behinds, while Sora swung himself up onto the monster's back. He then began to crawl slowly up Cerberus' back toward its heads. He grinned. This was a good vantage point.

Donald and Goofy continued to battle Cerberus from the front, Goofy having snapped back to reality. The wizard continued to unleash volleys of fireballs and lightning bolts, taking a break every now and then to take a swig from an Ether bottle to recharge. Goofy continued to launch himself like a rocket at the beast's heads, though growing increasingly more frightened of Cerberus' many sets of large, sharp teeth. As they continued to pound on Cerberus in this manner, Sora entered their line of vision, standing on top of Cerberus with the Keyblade in both hands.

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy couldn't help but be surprised.

As the Key Bearer tried to gain some kind of footing atop Cerberus' back, he raised the Keyblade into the air over his head with both hands. Then, taking a deep breath and hoping for the best, Sora drove the tip of the Keyblade into one of the monster's necks. The corresponding head (the one in the middle, as it turned out) roared and howled in anguish, its eyes going wide.

Sora pulled the Keyblade out of the Cerberus' neck, with some effort, and then jumped down from its back, hitting the ground in a roll. Goofy immediately ran to Sora's side as Donald grinned, aimed at the monster's open wound, and unleashed another volley of fireballs at it. The open wound singed at the touch of fire, causing Cerberus to howl in pain, the middle head screeching over the other two. Then, it was as though the head had gone crazy. It began to gnash its teeth violently, indiscriminately, trying to take bites out of the other two. It wasn't long before all three heads had been injured so much that Cerberus could no longer go on fighting.

The trio ran out of the way as the monster's eyes closed and its entire massive body tumbled to the floor, causing the ground to rumble and the pillars of the arena to fall apart. One of the heads crashed against the audience stands, sending debris flying all around the stadium. The trio dodged the debris to the best of their ability until the earth stopped rumbling and the dust settled on the battleground.

Their knees shaking almost uncontrollably, the trio dropped to their knees. Goofy's entire body was shaken by tremors of fright, images of the flashing of Cerberus' teeth haunting his mind. Sora breathed long and deep, his heart pounding against his ribcage so hard it felt like it would explode. Donald slumped to the floor and sighed, pulling out a Potion and taking a sip. He then passed the bottle to his companions, and all three of them sat peacefully for a moment, drinking their potion in silence as a victory celebration.

* * *

Having successfully defeated Cerberus, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stood together in a line as they faced Hercules and Phil, who had felt the need to perform some kind of ceremony in celebration. Hercules, who was standing next to Phil, had his arms folded over his chest as he examined Sora from head to toe, a proud smile on his face. He nudged the hero trainer slightly. As Phil stepped forward, he opened up a scroll, holding it in front of his face and began to read the boxy lettering aloud in the most ceremonious manner possible. 

"Thus, I do hereby dub thee, 'junior heroes', and confer upon thee full rights and privileges to participate in the games. Further…"

"Hey!" Donald stamped one foot angrily on the ground, breaking the ceremonial atmosphere. "Whaddaya mean, '_junior _heroes'?"

Phil looked over at Donald, lowering the scroll slightly so that he could see, and rolled his eyes.

"You rookies still don't understand what it takes to be a _true_ hero," he explained.

Goofy tilted his head curiously to one side. "So, what _does _it take?"

Hercules' smile broadened as a fond memory surfaced in his mind. He then turned to Sora, pulled out a small certificate, and handed it to the junior hero.

"Well," he said slowly, a cheerful tone in his voice, "that's just something you'll have to find out for yourselves. Just the way that _I _did."

Sora looked first at the certificate, then at Hercules, and then at Phil. A grin appeared on his face and he laughed softly.

"No problem," he said cheerily, tucking the certificate safely away. "We'll start by proving ourselves in the games."

The satyr switched his attention to Sora. "There ain't gonna be any games for a while," he told him matter-of-factly. "Gotta clean up the mess from that last battle _first_."

The trio exchanged nervous, guilty glances as they remembered how Cerberus' body had crashed and almost completely demolished a section of the audience stands. Then, with a casual shrug of his shoulders, Sora turned on his heel and motioned to the others. He smiled at Phil and Hercules.

"Okay, we'll be back," he said as they pushed open the doors and left the lobby.

Phil stroked his goatee thoughtfully as he watched the double doors shut behind them. "I still can't believe that squirt _actually _beat Cerberus," he said in amazement to Hercules.

Hercules chuckled and leaned toward Phil so as to whisper into his ear. "Just between us," he said softly, "I'd already worn Cerberus down by the time the little guy jumped in."

The two looked at each other, smiling somewhat smugly at their little secret. Phil looked at the double doors, partially expecting the trio to re-enter. He folded his stubby arms over his chest and grinned, glancing back up at Hercules.

"My lips are sealed."

* * *

As soon as the double doors had closed shut behind him, Sora and the others could hardly help but notice a familiar figure sitting by himself on the steps to the exit. Cloud sat with his eyes to the floor and his arms propped up on his knees, deep in thought. The trio had heard the story about Hades from Hercules and Phil. However, nobody knew much about Cloud Strife. Sora looked at Donald and Goofy and gestured toward Cloud before approaching the solemn warrior slowly. 

"Hey, are… you all right?" Sora asked him gingerly.

Cloud looked up at Sora slowly. "Yeah."

"So why did you go along with him, anyway?"

The warrior merely looked at Sora for a while before leaning forward, clasping one hand in the other, raising them and resting his chin against them. He looked thoughtful for a moment, staring down at a spot on the floor. Then after another moment, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"I'm looking for someone," he said softly. "Hades promised to help." Sora, Donald and Goofy watched and listened intently, nodding slightly. Cloud looked back up at Sora and then began to rise to his feet.

"I tried to exploit the power of darkness, but it backfired," Cloud continued. He then took another deep breath and looked up into the blue sky. "I fell into darkness, and couldn't find the light."

"You'll find it," Sora said encouragingly. He then tore his eyes away, dropping his gaze to the floor and sighed. "I'm searching, too."

Cloud looked back down at Sora. "For your light?" he asked hesitantly.

Sora nodded, turning his sights back on Cloud. The warrior nodded respectfully and walked slowly to Sora's side. He put one hand on Sora's shoulder and squeezed it gently, encouragingly.

"Don't lose sight of it."

He then continued to walk past him, back toward the entrance to the Coliseum, his cape billowing dramatically behind him as he took his long, slow, confident strides. For some reason that he didn't quite understand, Sora felt a slight surge of power course through him. Grinning, Sora spun around on his heel and cupped one hand around his mouth, waving his other hand in the air in a seeming attempt to catch Cloud's attention.

"How about a rematch sometime?" he called. "Fair and square, no dark powers involved!"

Cloud's amused smile was hidden beneath the folds of fabric wrapped about his neck. Then, turning around with a flick of his spiky blonde hair, he shrugged casually.

"I think I'll pass."

The trio watched as Cloud pushed open the doors to the lobby and vanished inside. Sora smiled to himself, convinced that, no matter what the warrior may have said, they were going to have that rematch. He then looked back at Donald and Goofy. Donald returned Sora's gaze, tapping one webbed foot impatiently on the floor. Sora was confused.

"_What_?"

"Let's just _go_," Donald told him, motioning to the main gate.

Goofy put his hands on Sora's shoulders and laughed as they pushed open the large double doors. Sora looked back at the Coliseum over his shoulder and smiled before the gate closed shut behind them.

* * *

Hades stepped out from the dark shadows, holding a small clay statue of Hercules upright on one open palm. He was making the Hercules figure smile and flex as he stared down at him. 

"He's _strong_, he's _kind_," Hades narrated, sounding something like a salesman. "He's _always _there for you, and he's _handsome _to boot. He's perfect. Perfect!" Then something inside him snapped. "Perfectly _infuriating! _He makes me _CRAZY_!"

The fire on Hades' head turned bright red-orange in rage, his skin turning into lava. The figurine in his hand melted down immediately. He thrust the remnants onto the floor in a fit. Then suddenly the fire turned back to its usual blue color, as Hades calmed himself down. He ran a hand over the fire on his head and took in a gulp of air.

"Wait a minute, what are you talking about?" he said to himself. "All the pieces are in place. Relax. Here's what you do. Let _Hercules _train the kid. In the next games, I'll take care of them _both_."

The god grinned wickedly to himself at the prospect of his own brilliance. Just then, someone appeared behind him. Realizing this, Hades glanced over his shoulder to see their "dark leader" standing not much more than ten feet behind him. He narrowed his malicious yellow eyes at her.

"Who invited _you _to the party?" he growled. "Stay out of this. This is _my _show."

The tall, black clad woman narrowed her green eyes at Hades, her long fingers fiddling with the handle of her golden staff. She blinked slowly, a small, malevolent smile crossing her thin, fuchsia colored lips.

"As you wish," she said calmly. "Fight to your heart's content."

And just as suddenly and quietly as she came, the woman took her leave.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Oooooh, fight with the great Cloud Strife. The guy completely overwhelms Sora (as you can see, poor little guy), but I'm sure Sora will get stronger in the near future. :p Let's all root for him! Umm... props for some of Cloud's dialogue and characterization goes to my Final Fantasy obsessed friend (my knowledge of FF7 is, as I said before, faded and limited). So many thanks to him. :) 

I didn't know how to explain Cloud's giving Sora a skill in some kind of solid form. I hope what I did worked. Sora'll be using Strike Raid soon enough. :p


	12. Two Worlds

**_Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko_**

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**From the Author: **What's up, guys? This is kind of random, but I was asked a question in a review and I've gotta say... it's got perfect timing to pop up...In answer to the question of whether or not Deep Jungle is in the KH Manga... I have no idea. It likely is, but the manga's rearranged some of the events. From Traverse they went to Wonderland, then back to Traverse, then to Agrabah, and last I checked, they'd made their way to the Coliseum (that came a little too late, I mighta been able to _use _some o' that but... oh well). After the Coliseum, who knows where they'll go? I'm sure they'll get around to Deep Jungle soon enough, but me? I'm stickin' with the order that you hit 'em in the game. :)

And by the way... you guys are so awesome. :D Thanks very much for the reviews and compliments and the command to continue. I don't mind being ordered to continue. It gets me going. :p

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* * *

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**Chapter 11  
****Two Worlds**

_Deep Jungle_

Sora had fallen asleep the moment he finished strapping himself into his seat. Though he had spent a few moments drowsily fiddling with their junior hero certificate and mumbling proudly to no one in particular, he had just about been asleep since take-off. Donald was busy piloting the Gummi ship, while Goofy amused himself by wandering around the cockpit or staring out the window at the sea of stars. Jiminy had seated himself on Sora's armrest while he wrote furiously in his journal about what had happened on their travels so far.

Goofy looked over at Sora, wandered toward his seat and watched him sleep for a moment, the certificate still inserted between two of his fingers. A small, goofy smile was across Sora's face as he mumbled incomprehensibly. Goofy chuckled and turned to Donald.

"Hey Donald, d'ya think we oughta wake him?"

The duck shrugged. "Aw, just let 'im sleep."

Goofy chuckled again and stared out the window on Sora's side of the ship. It was around then that he caught sight of what looked like another world. It was small and round, just like Wonderland had been. Its entire surface seemed to be covered in lush green trees, tropical in origin. And even from the distance that they were at, waterfalls and other bodies of water could be easily seen. Goofy pressed his nose against the glass as he stared at the world, his knees nudging Sora just enough to rouse him slightly from his nap.

"Donald, lookit _that_!"

With an exasperated sigh and a roll of his eyes, Donald glanced back to see what Goofy was gawking at. He then immediately returned to piloting the ship, shaking his head from side to side. Goofy pulled away from the window (nudging Sora a little bit more) and smiled, heading back to his seat. The certificate slipped from Sora's fingers, causing Sora to open his eyes slightly. He looked at Goofy, blinking sleepily, and then at Donald.

"Huh?"

"G'mornin', Sora!" Goofy greeted cheerily. He then pointed out Sora's window. "Take a look at the world out there."

Still somewhat disoriented, Sora straightened in his seat with a stretch and a yawn and then looked out the window. He smiled to himself upon seeing the world, his senses coming into order and the wave of drowsiness subsiding.

"_Hey, it kinda looks like my island,"_ he thought to himself. Suddenly Sora found himself wide awake. He straightened in his seat. _"What if…"_

"Hey, Donald," Goofy said, turning to his companion. "Maybe King Mickey's down there."

The wizard scoffed. "In a backwater place like _that_? No way! Let's move on."

Sora leaned forward in his chair, raising his voice in protest. "Hold on, Riku and Kairi might be down there. Let's just check it out."

"Forget it!" Donald growled, losing his patience. "We're on an important mission!"

"Just land!" Sora yelled, also losing his patience.

"NO!"

"Come on!"

Continuing to refuse, Donald gripped the steering wheel stubbornly between his hands. Then Sora, grumpy at having just woken up and angered even further by the prospect of being denied the chance to look for his best friends, jumped to his feet. He stomped toward Donald and leaned over the control panel, trying to figure out the controls.

"We're landing!" he yelled forcefully, deciding on a button and pressing it.

Donald's eyes went wide. "Don't touch that! NOO!"

Suddenly, the whole ship began to shake, alarms going off and assorted yells escaping from various throats. Sora grabbed onto the steering wheel and veered it towards the lush world of green foliage. Maybe he yanked it too hard, because the next thing that any of them knew, they were hurtling dangerously toward the surface of the planet. Clouds were suddenly shooting past them on all sides as the ship spun and fell through the atmosphere. And Sora suddenly found himself separated from the ship, falling out of the sky, limbs flailing.

The treetops seemed to be shooting toward Sora's face as though they were going to smack him (though the truth was that Sora was going to be the one smacking them). He braced himself as he fell through layer upon layer of leaves and branches. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, a wooden rooftop appeared before him. Sora gritted his teeth as he plummeted toward it and smashed through the wood planks. He landed with a loud, painful thud in the middle of a big cloud of dust.

"Oww… my head…"

Sora coughed and wheezed as he recovered from the fall. He groaned and rubbed the back of his head as he got himself into a sitting position and took a good look around.

He had landed in the middle of a large wooden house. There was absolutely no furniture on the inside whatsoever; only various crates, boxes, and barrels. Most of the wooden planks used to build the house had vines and other kinds of foliage growing between the cracks. The entire place seemed extremely old and abandoned. The rooftop seemed sturdy enough, save the part where Sora had fallen through.

All of the beams were still perfectly in place above his head. There was a second story, though the stairs had been broken, making that level inaccessible (there was no bottom half). There were several windows, all of them with the glass still in place, sunlight streaming through them and spilling across the floor. There was a large open entrance directly in front of Sora, through which he could see a sort of balcony and the tops of some of the trees.

Sora winced as he felt the small bump on the back of his head. Then, disregarding it, Sora looked around him nervously.

"Donald? Goofy?"

Just then, a small, powerful creature silently crept into the tree house. It peered over the edge of the second floor balcony and narrowed its cat eyes hungrily at the tender piece of meat that had landed within reach. With a low growl, the wild animal moved one powerful, clawed paw forward, near the edge of the platform. The muscles in its legs tensed, its eyes gleamed.

Hearing the growl, Sora turned his head in time to see a leopard pounce at him from the balcony. Sora leapt to his feet, pulling out the Keyblade and jumped out of the leopard's way. The animal landed gracefully and spun around to glare at Sora some more, licking its chops eagerly. Sora backed away, holding the Keyblade firmly in one hand. The leopard jumped forward, swinging one powerful paw at Sora and sending him flying into the wall. Though he had prevented the leopard's claws from scratching flesh, Sora crashed through some of the wooden crates, slamming against one of the house walls.

The leopard roared victoriously. Sora carefully picked himself up, getting into a fighting stance with the Keyblade in both hands. This was no ordinary leopard. This particular specimen was very strong and _very _smart. Which meant that Sora had to be very careful. The creature gazed at him, its eyes gleaming with malicious intelligence. And then all at once, it lunged again, claws and teeth flaring. Sora immediately rolled out of the way and made a break for the other side.

The wild animal spun swiftly as soon as all four paws had touched the floor and faced Sora, baring its teeth maliciously. Then, gathering his courage, Sora ran straight toward the leopard. Accepting the challenge, the leopard ran at him. They bee lined toward each other, the Keyblade glimmering, the leopard's teeth bared. At the very last moment, Sora jumped over the leopard, spinning in mid-air and swinging the Keyblade as hard as he could. The leopard took a blow to the back of its neck and collapsed in a heap on the flooring. As soon as both feet planted firmly on the floor, Sora spun around and looked at the leopard's body. Every muscle in his body relaxed as soon as he saw the animal lying still.

Sora breathed hard as he watched the leopard carefully, holding the Keyblade loosely in his right hand. Though he had managed to knock it down, he wasn't sure whether it had died or not. The leopard merely lay on the floor for a long time, not moving, silent. Suddenly very concerned, Sora inched carefully toward its body, moving sideways, inch by inch.

Just as he was about to reach out and touch the body, the leopard sprung back onto all fours, spun around to face Sora and pounced with a loud roar, all in one liquid movement. Sora had been completely caught off guard, falling back onto his bottom in surprise. He raised the Keyblade in front of him, prepared to use it block the leopard's attack.

Suddenly, something burst into the tree house through a large hole in the top side of the building. This something moved quickly, running and maneuvering around the roof beams like a monkey, using one of the beams to swing around and propel him toward the leopard. The something was, in fact, an actual man. He landed in front of Sora just in time and successfully blocked the leopard's advance using a long wooden spear. He then used the spear to push the leopard forcefully backward.

The leopard was knocked back several feet, rolling across the flooring before catching itself by digging its claws into the wooden planks. As the animal rose to its feet and looked at the newcomer, the man hissed and roared at it, sounding exactly like another leopard. The leopard growled furiously and made its escape, leaping through a window, shattering the glass as it did so.

After a moment of silence, the man turned around to face Sora. Sora stared at the man in awe, both dumbfounded and amazed at once. He seemed to be a fairly tall man, though it was hard to tell since he was in a crouched, gorilla like position at the time. He had shoulder length brown hair that fell over and into his face in thick dreadlocks. The man's entire body was covered in muscles and soaked in a rich golden brown tan that any surfer dude would be jealous of. His face was drawn into a solemn stare, and his green eyes were so serious and intense that they were somewhere on the verge of intimidating and frightening. The only thing that concerned Sora about his appearance would have been the fact that the man was only wearing a simple brown loincloth around his waist.

The man looked at Sora, his face stern and serious. "Sabor, danger," he said gruffly.

Sora rose to his feet, looking around him somewhat nervously. "Um… Thank you."

That's when the man's facial expression turned from solemn to curious. His eyebrows came together in confusion and his eyes dropped slightly to the floor.

"Thank you," he echoed slowly, as though testing the sound of the words.

"Huh?" Getting more confused, Sora took a step backward, looking at the gorilla man, concerned. "Uh, what _is _this place?"

"This place, this place," the gorilla man echoed again, moving a few steps closer.

Now Sora was starting to feel a little frightened, his eyes darting around the room.

"Okaaay," he said slowly, mostly to himself. He then turned back to the gorilla man and tried again, raising his voice and speaking slowly. "Where did the others go? Look, I got separated from my friends. Have you seen them?"

Suddenly, Sora found himself regretting having asked that question. He wasn't entirely sure why he was assuming that this strange man clad only in a loincloth knew about what had happened to his friends. He then decided that it was best to ask and make sure that the man didn't know anything rather than not ask and find out later that he had known something. Yeah, that was it. That was good justification. Sora watched the man expectantly, only to get his hopes up as the man was only confused further.

"Hmm?"

With an exasperated sigh, Sora tried again, speaking even more slowly so that he could understand. This man obviously didn't know much English. "Fuh-ren-zs…"

The man's eyes brightened suddenly. "Friends!" he repeated, a slight smile on his face.

Sora could hardly control his excitement at having gotten through. Instantly, he began to speak so quickly and excitedly that he was hardly aware of what exactly he was saying.

"Right, my friends!" he yelled happily. "There's two of 'em. The loud one is Dona- " He stopped himself abruptly, remembering what had happened in the Gummi ship. He lowered his eyes to the floor, the frustration beginning to well up inside. That's right. The "loud one" was the one who wouldn't let them land on this world. An angry frown appeared on Sora's face as he remembered.

The gorilla man tilted his head to one side, making a confused grunting noise. Sora raised his eyes slightly so that he could see the man.

"You know what?" he said quietly. "Never mind." Then, with a shake of his head, Sora started over. "I'm looking for my friends, _Riku _and _Kairi_."

"Look for Riku, friends?" the gorilla man echoed slowly, his voice rough.

Sora smiled and nodded. "Right!"

He then shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his eyes turning away from the gorilla man's face for one instant. It was then that Sora saw something that he could hardly believe. He wasn't sure if it was for real or not, but it made his heart skip a beat.

The gorilla man looked straight into Sora's eyes. "Kairi, friends?"

Right at that very moment, standing just a few feet behind the gorilla man, was a young girl dressed for the beach. She wore a white spaghetti strap shirt over a black tank, and a short, kind of lacy baby purple skirt, tightened around her waist by a blue belt. Around her arms were several bands, yellow ones on her wrists, and around her neck was a black choker and a small chain necklace with a tiny round pendant on the end. She stood with all her weight on one leg, her hands clasped behind her back. She had short crimson colored hair and calm, sea-green eyes.

Kairi was standing just behind the gorilla man, bathed in the morning light that was streaming out of the windows, staring at Sora calmly with a slight smile on her face.

Dumbfounded, Sora glanced back at the gorilla man and nodded. "Uhh… right…"

He immediately looked back at Kairi. He considered walking over to her and asking her what had happened, how she had ended up in this place, if she was okay. But before he could even raise his foot to step forward, Kairi turned away in the most snobbish manner, raising her chin high and closing her eyes, and began to walk away. She walked off to the side, passing behind the gorilla man so that Sora couldn't see. Sora tried to adjust his position to see her, but it was as though she had vanished into thin air.

The man stared at Sora, sternly, calmly. "Friends… _here_."

Sora looked back at the gorilla man, excited. "Really?"

"Ee ooh, oo ooh ah," the man told him.

"Huh?" Sora was confused. It just sounded like a bunch of grunting noises to him.

The gorilla man repeated himself, speaking slowly so that Sora could understand. "Ee ooh, oo ooh ah. Friends, here."

"Not sure I understand," Sora said slowly, confused, "but _show_ me! Take me to Riku and Kairi!"

A smile appeared on the gorilla man's face. He then gestured to himself, thumping his chest softly and nodding.

"Tarzan," he introduced himself, saying his name slowly. His smile broadened. "Tarzan, go."

Sora blinked, confused for just a moment. Then, understanding, he smiled.

"And I'm Sora," he said gesturing to himself. "Tarzan go, Sora go go!"

Tarzan smiled, motioned for Sora to follow him, and led the boy outside of the tree house. They stepped out onto the balcony area and stood there for a while. Tarzan looked over at Sora as the boy looked around, absorbing the beautiful sea of green trees that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The house really was situated in the branches of a large tree. Beneath the house was a large net, possibly to prevent any accidents from happening. There was a small dinghy dangling on a rope from a branch in front of the house, which Sora eventually realized was probably used to bring heavy things up to the house from further below, in the depths of the jungle.

The ape man tugged at Sora's sleeve gently and pointed to the ocean of green, from which Sora could hear many different wild animal calls, echoing harmoniously into the early day. He smiled at the boy, pointing excitedly out at the jungle.

"Deep jungle," he told him. "Tarzan's home."

* * *

"Gawrsh, where are we?" 

Donald and Goofy had ended up in a clearing among a thick growth of bamboo-like trees. They were resting on a large rock that was overgrown with moss and other foliage, Goofy sitting atop it, his eyes lowered to the surface of the rock, and Donald stretched out on his side with his eyes shut and his head propped up by one arm.

Goofy raised his eyes to the sky and let out a breath. "I sure hope Sora's okay."

He then looked over at Donald expectantly. When no immediate reply came, the dog turned away, turning his attention to the thick growth of plants that surrounded them. After a moment of silence, Donald jumped into a sitting position, his hands curled up in tight fists.

"Aw, who _needs_ him?" he yelled stubbornly. "We can find the king without him."

Donald bent over slightly to retrieve his mage's staff, which he had leaned against the side of the rock. As he reached for it, his fingers touched on something with a thick coat of coarse fur.

"Huh?"

The duck then turned around to see what it was and came face to face with a large gray gorilla. They stared at each other for a moment, their eyes wide, until they both began to scream in panic, straight into each other's faces. Immediately after, the plants behind the duo began to rustle as something moved through them. Both Donald and Goofy turned and looked over their shoulders expectantly, while the gorilla began to run away as quickly as it could. The gorilla paused for a moment, looking back over at Donald, and then continued on its way.

Donald looked back to where he had seen the gorilla, surprised to find that it had gone. But he did, however, see something of interest lying on the floor. It was a strange red block, that glimmered in the sunlight, that both Donald and Goofy recognized as a Gummi block.

He didn't get to observe it for very long however, since more rustling could be heard from within the bamboo thicket. Donald turned back to face it. The pair of them swallowed hard, simultaneously, in anxiety as they waited for whatever it was to appear before them.

Out stepped a tall human man, dressed in British hunter gear. A red cravat could be seen from just below the neck, sticking out fashionably from the open V of his yellow collared shirt. His boots crunched against the jungle floor as he stepped out, his shotgun held in front of him with both hands. He was tall and well built, with very chiseled features. His dark brown hair was slicked back neatly from his face, which was drawn into a serious expression that almost implied that he felt superior to everything else. He stared down at the dog and duck before him, his moustache twitching in agitation.

The pair exchanged nervous glances.

* * *

Tarzan had led Sora down from the tree house to a tunnel of tree branches and stones overgrown with moss. He had then tossed Sora into a hollow tree trunk, which Sora slid down, screaming in wild surprise. It wasn't long before Tarzan joined him, essentially grinding down the slippery moss covered trunk like a skateboarder or like a surfer on a wave, standing on the trunk with one leg positioned in front of the other in a crouched position, balancing himself with his arms. He encouraged Sora to give it a try, and as soon as Sora had figured out what he was doing, he was having the time of his life. 

This "tree surfing" thing was the most amazing thing. As Sora had originally thought, it was very similar to actually surfing on the ocean waves, but was more like grinding down railings on a skateboard. Both Tarzan and Sora slid down the tree trunks, weaving through the jungle like nothing else in the world could, Sora whooping with excitement the entire time. They leapt over tree branches, only to land back on track without losing any momentum.

After a long time of tree surfing, the two of them flew off the tip of the tree and soared through the air for a brief moment before landing at their destination. They had landed in the middle of what appeared to be a campground. A large tent had been set up to one side, the back of which was up against the surrounding thicket of trees. All around the tent were other canopies of canvas which sheltered several fully loaded bookshelves, wooden crates, and other miscellaneous objects. In one corner of the campground was a grandfather clock, which stood next to a small round table with a tea set on its surface. In the opposite corner was a long table which was loaded with countless scientific tools – beakers, test tubes, all kinds of other scientific instruments. Standing not far away from the table was a black iron stove, and close to that stood an easel with a chalkboard on it, on which was a chalk sketch of what appeared to be an image of Tarzan. In the very middle of the campground, sticking out from the midst of a pile of crates and boxes, was a bamboo flag pole with a small British flag hanging from the top.

Tarzan landed as gracefully as a cat on the ground, while Sora hit the ground in a roll. As soon as the initial shock had worn away, Sora burst out laughing, the adrenaline still rushing through his system. Tarzan hurried to Sora's side and helped the boy to his feet.

"That was _awesome_!" Sora said excitedly. "I mean, _whoa_! Ever since this whole quest thing started, I've actually been through a _lot, _but _wow_, was that just totally _awesome_ or _what_? When can we do that again, huh? C'mon Tarzan, you'll let me do that again, right? Right?"

The words had flown out of Sora's mouth so quickly that Tarzan had barely understood a single word. He put one of his hands over his mouth to make him stop talking. Sora's eyes went wide as the jungle man's large hand pressed firmly against his mouth. The boy watched as Tarzan gestured toward the large tent, and then slowly released his grasp on Sora. It was only then that they both headed toward the tent, pulling back the flap of canvas, and entered.

The inside of the tent was very simply decorated; a few hammocks hanging here and there, several crates with piles of books on top of them, a simple projector standing in the center of the room with a large chair next to it. There were several lanterns hanging on ropes that dangled from the ceiling. On one side of the room was a large map of Africa, framed and mounted on the canvas wall. On the floor lay a large gray and orange rug that stretched from one side of the room to the other, leaving very little room for any dirt or grass to stick out.

Standing beside the projector, musing over it carefully was a tall young woman with long brown hair. She was dressed appropriately for the middle of a jungle; an off white sleeveless top with a long red skirt that had been torn down one side so that she could still move properly. Her feet were bare, but that didn't seem to bother her too much. Her back was facing them as they entered the tent, so Sora wasn't able to see much of her. Tarzan entered the tent hurriedly, hunched over with his weight on his knuckles. Sora watched him as he moved, somewhat in awe at this very gorilla-like man.

"Jane!" he called out as soon as they had entered.

It was only then that the young woman turned around. She froze at the sound of her name and then spun around to face them. Her green eyes glittered excitedly as she saw Tarzan, her long hair swishing into her face, her fair skin turning a light shade of pink.

"Tarzan!" she said in surprise, her voice heavy with a British accent. Jane then looked at Sora and smiled, leaning forward, bending down slightly so that her eyes were level with Sora's.

"Oh, and who is this?"

Sora smiled nervously. "Uh, hi there. I'm..."

Jane straightened slightly, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, you speak English!" She then glanced at Tarzan.

"So, then, _obviously_, you're not related to Tarzan…" Tarzan and Sora exchanged glances, blinking in mild confusion. Jane chuckled politely as she turned her attention back to Sora. "Are you here to study the gorillas?"

Sora's eyes went wide. Study the gorillas? Why would he be studying gorillas? He stole a glance in Tarzan's direction, and then opened his mouth to speak, even though he wasn't quite sure what to say.

"Highly doubtful."

Another voice, clearly belonging to a British man. Jane looked over Sora's shoulder, straightening to her full height as both Tarzan and Sora spun around to look at the newcomer. In walked a tall, burly British man dressed in hunter gear. He had dark hair that was slicked neatly back over his head, and had a small moustache growing on his upper lip. Between both hands was a large shotgun, which he slung over his shoulder as soon as he had entered the tent.

Following close behind him was a short white duck and a tall black dog. The duck was dressed in a blue outfit that was covered with zippers (though they didn't really unzip anything) with a matching blue hat on the top of his head. The dog wore a green long sleeved top with a black vest over it, large, baggy orange pants and brown leather shoes which were clown-like in size and shape. On the top of his head was a tall orange hat, seemingly held in place by a pair of brown goggles. Sora smiled excitedly. Two familiar (and sorely missed) faces.

"Sora!" Goofy yelled as soon as he saw him, jumping excitedly.

The Key Bearer ran to them immediately. "Goofy! Donald!"

Sora and Donald were just about ready to embrace each other when they remembered what had gone on in the ship. They immediately turned away from each other, folding their arms indignantly over their chests and throwing their heads back snobbishly. They stomped one foot on the ground as they did so, tapping their fingers on their arms impatiently. Goofy looked at each of them in turn, confused.

The British hunter scoffed at their display, turning on his heel and exiting the tent. "A circus of _clowns_," he told Jane gruffly. "Not much use for hunting gorillas."

Jane put her hands on her hips angrily as she watched the man leave. "_Mr. Clayton_," she said forcefully, "we're _studying _them, not _hunting_ them. This is _research_."

Clayton glanced over his shoulder for a moment, shrugging his broad shoulders nonchalantly, and continued to walk away. Jane straightened, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then, after a moment, she turned back to Sora and the others, putting on her best smile.

"Well, the more the merrier," she said lightly. "Do make yourselves at home."

She stopped, her eyes going wide at the awkward scene before her. Jane then quietly moved to one of the hammocks, picking up her sketchbook and beginning to draw. Tarzan eyed Jane amusedly, and then hesitantly moved toward her, peering over her shoulder as she worked quietly. Goofy watched them for a moment, and then turned his attention back to his companions as they argued in silence. His eyes wandered from Sora to Donald, then back to Sora. He was about to say something to them, but before he could even open his mouth, Sora spoke.

"Well, _anyway_," he began stubbornly.

"I'm staying." The words had come from both Sora and Donald at the same time.

Sora spun around in surprise, dropping his arms. "Huh?"

That's when Goofy grinned and pulled out the Gummi block that they had found earlier. He cupped it in both hands and extended it toward Sora so that he could see it.

"Sora, look what we found," he said with a chuckle. "Look at _this_."

The Gummi block glittered a bright red as Sora peered at it curiously. It wasn't a perfect cube block. It had actually been cut at strange angles, as though it had been knocked out of position. It wasn't in a beautiful shape like the one they had found at Wonderland was. Sora's eyes went wide as he looked at it. He turned to Goofy.

"So _that_ means…"

"The _king _could be here," Donald finished, barking the words out gruffly. He then looked over at Sora from over his shoulder, his arms still crossed angrily. "So, we've gotta work together to look for him." The duck narrowed his eyes. "_For now._"

Sora narrowed his eyes back at Donald. "Fine. I'll let you tag along." He then raised his voice, a touch of malice in his tone. "_For now_."

It was only then that Sora noticed that Tarzan had wandered over to Jane and was watching her as she drew. He was pointing at her sketchbook and smiling, communicating with her with broken English sentences and a variety of grunting noises. Sora watched them for a moment as Jane merely laughed happily at him and his almost child-like curiosity. As Tarzan was constantly coming closer, Jane's face got increasingly redder as he continued to invade her space without a second thought.

"No respect for personal boundaries?" Sora asked Jane with a chuckle.

She laughed lightly. "You've noticed it, too?"

Tarzan then looked over at Sora. His face suddenly glazed over with seriousness and he pointed at him, nudging Jane to pay attention.

"Jane!" he told her urgently. "Sora, look for friends."

He then grunted and gestured for a moment before finally backing away from Jane and hurrying toward Sora. Tarzan circled him and, putting his hands on Sora's shoulders, pushed him forward slightly, urging him onward. Sora was confused. He really had no idea what was going on.

He looked at Jane, a lopsided smile on his face. "Uh… help?"

Jane smiled apologetically as she rose from her hammock and walked toward Sora and the others slowly. "Apparently Tarzan was raised in the jungle by the gorillas," she explained. "Communicating with him still isn't easy, but he's learning."

Sora's smile faded slightly. "So he was speaking in 'gorilla' back there…"

"Ah, that's right," Jane said with a nod of her head. "So you're looking for your friends?"

"He said Riku and Kairi are here. And one word I couldn't understand…"

"Why don't we try this?" Jane suggested, gesturing toward the slide projector. "We'll show Tarzan some slides and see if any of them match that word."

She walked over to the projector to switch it on, putting one hand on top of it. Her eyes went wide as she reached for the slides in alarm.

"What happened to the slides?" she wondered aloud. She then straightened, sighing in exasperation. "Oh dear, they must be scattered around the camp."

"We'll look for 'em," Sora offered. He then looked to the others, narrowing his eyes slightly at Donald. "Won't we, guys?"

Donald scoffed, his beak raised in the air. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Oh, why thank you," Jane said with a confused, polite smile. "They should be around. There are about six of them in total."

Sora, Goofy, Tarzan and Donald immediately got to work on looking for the projector slides. While all six of them were most certainly scattered all across the campground, they weren't altogether too difficult to find. The search did, however, require a lot of climbing on top of crates and other miscellaneous furniture, and even getting a monkey's eye view from the tree tops. Clayton watched them the entire time, taking small, slow sips from his cup of tea.

The first slide that they found was lying on the ground next to the easel with the chalkboard. Two of them had been on top of a set of crates with a small globe of the Earth. Another was half tucked into the second drawer of a green dresser that was standing in the shelter of the canvas half-tents. Still another was found when Sora climbed to the top of the pile of crates and boxes. Tarzan had picked the last one up off the top of the main tent, having spotted it from his perch near the tops of the bamboo trees. Sora took all the slides in his hands, and, counting six, re-entered the tent and handed them to Jane.

The researcher smiled and thanked them before turning the projector on and inserting the slides one by one. The images were cast onto the blank canvas wall in front of the projector, the first of which was an image of the stars in the night sky. The next slide had a picture of an old woman crouched on the floor raising a young baby in the air before her. The one that followed that depicted two men in fencing outfits, facing each other as they began a match.

Then an image of an unusual looking castle appeared on one of the slides. Its towers stretched high toward the sky, the entire building giving off a majestic, almost magical feeling. It seemed to be perched at the top of a cliff surrounded by a sea of pine forests, white mists and fog. As Sora stared at the picture, his heart began to beat a little bit faster. His breath caught in his throat, making a small noise.

Goofy cast a concerned look at Sora. "What's wrong, Sora?"

"What?" He snapped out of his funk and glanced back at his companion. "Um… nothing." He then looked back at the image, tilting his head curiously to one side.

"_This place," _he thought to himself in confusion. _"It just looks so familiar. But how? I've never been off my island."_

The slideshow continued, with two more images; one of a fully grown silverback gorilla (to which Tarzan's face brightened in response) and another of a classy man dressed in a suit down on one knee, extending a bouquet of flowers to an equally classy woman in a beautiful dress and petticoat standing next to him. As soon as the slides were finished, Jane switched off the projector and turned to Tarzan.

"Well, Tarzan?"

Tarzan looked at Jane, then at the projector, and then at the blank canvas wall. Everyone turned to Tarzan expectantly. Sora bit down on his lower lip, taking a step closer.

"Where are my friends, _Riku_ and _Kairi_?" he prompted, speaking slowly.

The jungle man looked over at Sora, their eyes meeting for a moment. He then dropped his gaze and shook his head slowly from side to side. Sora was crushed.

"Hey, I thought..."

"That leaves just _one place_."

Everyone in the tent looked toward the entrance as Clayton appeared. He strode slowly over toward Sora and the others, his head held high in the air.

"Young man, we've been in this jungle for some time now. But we have yet to encounter these friends of yours. _I'd _wager they're with the gorillas. But Tarzan _refuses _to take us to them."

Jane sighed, exasperated. "_Really_, Mr. Clayton. Tarzan wouldn't hide --"

"Then _take _us there!" Clayton demanded loudly, turning to Tarzan and bringing his face close to the jungle man's. "_Take _us to the gorillas."

Clayton then said slowly, clearly, in an attempt to force Tarzan to understand, "_Go – ril – las_!"

He didn't even flinch as Clayton practically spat and screamed into Tarzan's face. Then, slowly, he turned his gaze onto Sora. The Key Bearer had his head lowered, his blue eyes scanning the floor as though there was something important lying in the carpet rug. He released a long breath, closing his eyes as his mind raced with thoughts of Riku and Kairi. Sora could only imagine what was happening to them right at that moment.

It was then that Tarzan nodded his head in agreement, his gaze still set on Sora's forlorn expression. Jane's jaw dropped in surprise.

"Tarzan," she said softly. "Are you _sure_?"

Sora looked up in surprise, his face brightening. Goofy smiled, casting a glance toward Donald, who merely folded his arms over his chest and raised his head snobbishly in the air.

"Tarzan go see Kerchak," he told Jane sternly, turning his intense gaze onto her.

"Kerchak?" she echoed.

"He must be the leader," Clayton said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Perfect! I'll go along as an escort. After all, the jungle is a dangerous place."

Sora grinned excitedly and thanked Tarzan profusely for helping him, putting his hands on Tarzan's shoulders and speaking to him so quickly that the jungle man began to feel dizzy. Goofy had to pull Sora away, turning Sora's attention to him.

As Clayton spun around on his heel and exited the tent, a mischievous, almost wicked grin crossed his face.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This was an interesting chapter to write. It's pretty short, though... Making up stuff to go in between events was pretty tough on my head, though. I really needed to utilize my artistic license over these next few chapters, since there was a lotthat needed filling in and editing...All of the happenings in Deep Jungle (that weren't from the game) is derived from my own head (no released manga to reference to, waaahhh!). Very very few movie references here... Just the "no respect for personal boundaries" thing, whichI really felt the need to include for some reason. Kinda tough to incorporate good ones... :p 


	13. Strangers Like Me

**_Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko_**

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Apologies for the last chapter. Not the best written chapter, I admit. Anyway... here are the answers to some questions that I've been asked.

**Q: _Didn't Sabor... _die **_**early on in the movie?  
**_Hey, I'm not the one who decided to have Sabor in here. This world takes place more or less in the middle of the movie, so I guess Square-Enix and Disney wanted to keep him. He didn't die _too _early into the movie... It was about 20 some minutes in. No complaints from me, really. Sabor was a pushover. :P

**Q: _... Why did you include the slides quest in the last chapter?_  
**Ahh, the slides. Yes, that was really lame and a major pain in the butt to write, mainly because I didn't want to write about it. It's such a feeble little quest... but it led up to an important point, so it had a decent reason to stay. Please don't beat me over the head! The walking around and puzzle solving parts aren't easy to write, nor are they particularly fun to read, so I try to keep those scenes as short as possible (did you notice that the actual looking for the slides part was only like, a paragraph long?) except when I have the manga to reference to.

**Q: _Blah blah blah, I know all this stuff! What about the stuff we don't know?  
_**Hey, I said from the very beginning that this might be boring for the KH veterans, and that next to nothing will surprise 'em... but the people who haven't played the game (and may not _ever _play the game because the idea of having a giant key as a weapon strikes them as too weird a concept to handle... hmmph) don't have a clue. _Those _people are my target audience. I'm doing my best to include some nice, fresh material that can help bridge some gaps, but it's not as easy as you may think it is. So please, bear with me.

**Q: _What's happening to Riku (and Kairi)?_  
**I can't tell you that. One reason would be because it'd be like, _the_ biggest spoiler _ever _(for those who haven't played the game before), and another reason would be because this is, for the most part, from Sora's POV. I'm trying to keep the villains and those guys a mystery, just like the game did. We're supposed to be the good guys, so we're not supposed to know what they're up to. Another reason would be because I don't really know for sure. I could probably think up a scenario about what they're doing and thinking while Sora's out lookin' for 'em, but it probably wouldn't be true. And since in this story I'm sticking as close to the game as possible, I'm not gonna include my theories here. I'm just telling everyone what happened in the game, just in case they didn't get to play it. After all, the KH universe belongs to someone else, not me.  
There are tons of other fanfics out there that discuss Riku's status before/during/after the game, so if you like, you can take a gander at some of those.They really are _quite _interesting.

**Q:****_Why doesn't Sora just step on the shadows with his big shoes?_  
**... As big as Sora's shoes may be, they are _not _big enough to crush the Heartless. Nor is Sora _heavy _enough to be able to beat the shadows by stepping on them. I mean, _look _at him! He's all lean and skinny and stuff! And the shadows are like, half his height! I don't think he could even raise his foot that high. And the idea of Sora jumping on them is a little too Super Mario for Kingdom Hearts.

**Q: _Ugh, I'm confused!  
_**Good! It's okay to be confused, the entire game is just a _trip_. :D The only advice I can give you here would be... try not to think too hard about what's going on.

_

* * *

_

**_Chapter 12  
Strangers Like Me_**

_Deep Jungle_

Tarzan led the way deeper into the jungle, walking crouched over in the style of a gorilla, supporting his weight on his knuckles. Sora and the others followed him closely, aware that it wouldn't be difficult for them to get lost in the jungle depths. Clayton brought up the rear of the party, his hands glued to his shotgun as though they were physically attached. They walked in silence, for the most part, except for the occasional instructional phrase or grunt from Tarzan or Goofy's attempts at getting his teammates to talk to each other (with which they both responded to by glaring at each other and then turning away).

They had been walking for quite a while before they reached a small lagoon. There were several deep pools of water, in which several hippos could be found bathing. The entire area was surrounded by moss covered trees and vines. There were several thin trees that seemed to be growing right out of the water, providing a small amount of shade from any sunlight that might manage to stream through the thick tree canopy.

"Whoa…"

Donald's eyes grew wide, his jaw dropping. Goofy looked out over the waters and sighed contentedly. "This place is bee-yutiful…"

As the group stood in awe, gaping at the lagoon before them, Tarzan examined a growth of ivy that could be found on one of the trees. He dug his hands into and climbed it a little ways upward, then climbed back down. It was definitely strong enough to support human weight. He peered up into the canopy, trying to see where it led. Then, with a firm nod, Tarzan turned to Sora.

"Sora," he called firmly.

Tearing himself away from the vision of the lagoon, Sora moved toward Tarzan. The jungle man immediately pointed at the growth of ivy and gestured toward the top of the tree, making climbing movements with his hands and pointing to the canopy. Sora's jaw dropped.

"Y'mean, we gotta climb up this tree?" he asked in disbelief.

The other members of the group spun around to look at Tarzan and Sora. Tarzan merely nodded and smiled, and then offered to give Sora a boost. Sora stared at the ivy for a moment before taking a deep breath and climbing on. He dug his hands into the plant, giving it a hard tug to test how sturdy it was. He then swung himself up onto it as though it were a ladder, finding holds for his hands and feet as quickly as he could, and climbed.

Sora looked over his shoulder, down to where everyone remained. He shuddered slightly upon seeing how high up he had already climbed. Then, taking a deep, calming breath, he called out.

"It's okay guys!" he assured them. He swallowed hard. "Just… don't look down!"

Donald nodded and looked over at his companion. "Okay. Let's go, Goofy."

The captain wrung his hands and looked at Donald sadly. "Do we _have _to?"

Donald whacked Goofy on the back of his head and pushed Goofy onto the ivy, and then climbed on himself, with Tarzan's help. But when Tarzan turned around to help Clayton, the British man was nowhere to be found. Apart from the hippos, there wasn't a single soul in sight. Tarzan glanced around the area in concern before swinging himself onto the tree and began to climb.

The growth of ivy conveniently led the party into the jungle canopy. There were vines dangling from every part of the canopy here, which swayed and moved in the breeze. Peering over the edge of the thick tree branch from which Sora and the others were standing, the ground was so far below them that they could barely even catch sight of it. Goofy was already trembling in fright. And what Tarzan was about to tell them didn't help at all.

From here, Tarzan had explained in broken English, they were going to have to use the vines to get around. It was a simple matter of swinging on the vines and jumping from one vine to the next. While Sora had managed to get himself eager and willing, it took a whole other set of arguments to convince Goofy. Basically, Donald had to force Goofy into a different mindset by keeping him so scared the entire time that the captain of the guard would have no idea that he was actually swinging from vine to vine. In any case, Sora and the others managed across the vines and reached Tarzan's destination.

As soon as they had arrived safely, Sora looked around them, concerned.

"Hey, where'd Clayton go?"

Both Donald and Goofy began to look around them. When no trace of the British man was found, they merely shrugged their shoulders.

"Maybe he went back?" Goofy offered with a scratch of his head.

As Sora was about to respond, Tarzan forced them to be quiet, placing his hand over Sora's mouth. His green eyes were locked onto two large figures that were perched on a large tree branch just above them, looking down at them expectantly. Two gorillas; one distinctly male and the other female. The male must have been the leader, judging by the silver patch of hair on his back. The female was brown in color, with softer features on her face, making her seem almost motherly.

"Kerchak…"

Tarzan moved forward slowly, releasing Sora, crouched over low to the floor. The large silverback gorilla glared angrily at him as he approached.

Sora's eyes went wide. "_That's _Kerchak?" he said quietly in disbelief.

The gorilla immediately cast a death glare at Sora. The boy shrank back, closing his mouth and backing away quietly. Kerchak's gaze immediately became malicious as he then turned back to Tarzan with an angry grunt, making a motion to leave. Tarzan's eyes went wide as he moved forward as though he was going to stop them.

"Kerchak, please _listen _to me!" Tarzan pleaded with Kerchak in gorilla.

The gorilla leader narrowed his eyes at Tarzan. "I told you to stay _away_ from the strangers!" he roared in rage. "I said _not _to let them see you and _not _to seek them out!"

The female turned to the silverback. "Kerchak…"

"Don't try to defend him, Kala!" he roared, turning his attention on the female.

"Just _listen_ to him, Kerchak," she said gently, shrinking back slightly.

Her expression was grave, her eyes glimmering in sympathy for her adopted son. Only then did Kerchak concede to listen, sighing in exasperation before turning his gaze onto Tarzan.

Tarzan took in a deep breath before speaking. "I _know_ the nesting grounds are _secret_, but I…" He took in another breath, closing his eyes for a moment. He glanced over his shoulder to look at Sora and the others. "I _trust _them." He then looked back at the other gorillas, his voice softer, humbler. "You see, I want to help them, because… because… well, they _need _us."

Kala turned to Kerchak expectantly, continuing to plead with him silently on behalf of her son. The silverback continued to stare at Tarzan, who had lowered his eyes slightly in submission. The silence that ensued seemed almost unbearable. Sora, Donald and Goofy were aching to find out what exactly was going on. After a moment of the tense, awkward quiet, Goofy leaned toward Donald.

"Uhh, did you get that?" he asked quietly.

Donald rolled his eyes. "No."

Tarzan stepped forward, raising his eyes, still pleading. "Kerchak!"

The gorilla stared at Tarzan, his expression solemn and grave. Then, after a brief moment, he turned away as though something had come to his attention. His nostrils flared slightly as he looked up toward a different part of the jungle canopy. Then he simply turned and lumbered away silently.

"Kerchak…"

Tarzan then turned to his mother, who could only give Tarzan a long, sympathetic look. She closed her eyes and began to follow Kerchak. The jungle man sighed heavily, closing his eyes, crushed by the turn of events. Goofy looked over at Donald, leaning toward him again and whispering into his ear.

"He seemed sorta distracted by something," he whispered.

Donald nodded. "Was he looking toward the tree house?"

Then suddenly, Tarzan looked up, his eyes going wide, his nostrils flaring as though he'd caught an interesting scent. "Clayton."

"Clayton?" Sora echoed, confused. "What about him?"

Without another word, Tarzan bounded off, taking off through the trees, climbing up the tree trunks as fast as he could.

"Tarzan! Tarzan, wait up!"

The others exchanged concerned glances before chasing after him, doing their best to keep up. They climbed trees and swung across the vines as quickly as they could without falling, leaping from tree branch to tree branch. Eventually, Tarzan came into view, though still far ahead.

"Where do you think he's going?" Sora shouted as he slid down a tree trunk.

"The big gorilla was looking toward the tree house," said Donald. "Maybe he went _there_."

"He mentioned Clayton, too," Goofy offered as the trio continued to race after Tarzan.

Sora's eyes went wide. "You don't think… Would Clayton...?"

As Sora began to understand, his eyes glazed with determination and he pushed himself to run faster in order to catch up with Tarzan. The King's men looked confused, but continued to follow.

* * *

The gorilla plopped herself down in the middle of the tree house, gazing about her in awe at the unusual surroundings. She then turned her attention onto the peculiar blue and green ball that she had pulled out from among the boxes and crates. The gorilla had no idea what the object could be, but it was most certainly interesting looking. Curiously peering at it from all sides, the gorilla poked it and backed away quickly, expecting something to happen. Interestingly enough, the sphere began to slowly spin in place. After a brief moment of this, it stopped. Nothing else happened. 

Blinking, the gorilla slowly moved back toward it, one finger outstretched, and poked its surface again. Once again, the ball began to spin. A small smile crossed the gorilla's face. She seated herself next to it and began to smack the sphere, watching contentedly as it spun faster and faster with each strike. She continued to do so, but would then stop the ball her other hand, only to hit it again. She truly found herself contented with her newfound game.

The barrel of the shotgun gleamed in the dim light as it was raised in the air, its wielder getting down on one knee as he set his sights on the unsuspecting gorilla. A wry smile crossed his lips as he watched the gorilla continue to play with the globe. He aimed carefully, squeezing one eye shut as his grip on the shotgun tightened. His finger began to squeeze the trigger, slowly. The hunter knew he couldn't afford to miss this shot. This was the perfect opportunity.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

The duck's voice was so hoarse and loud and so close to his ear that Clayton jumped back and fell onto his rear as he squeezed the trigger, the gun slipping slightly from his grip. He stared at Donald in surprise and alarm as the duck seemed to have appeared from thin air. The shotgun ended up blasting at the floorboards not three feet away from the gorilla. The noise forced the gorilla to jump from her place, stumbling clumsily backward before jumping onto the broken steps and climbing up them frantically to the second story.

Clayton ran a hand through his hair, his eyes wide as he looked up to see Sora, Donald, and Goofy looming angrily above him.

"What's the big idea?" Donald roared, jumping hysterically into the air.

They glared at him for a moment, Donald panting for breath, before turning their attention to Tarzan. As Goofy turned his eyes from Clayton to Donald and back to Clayton, Sora followed Tarzan's gaze to the balcony, where the gorilla had leapt up to. Clayton bit back a curse and stared warily at Tarzan. The jungle man moved forward, stepping deeper into the tree house, watching the gorilla as she retreated. He opened his mouth slightly, his eyes widening in recognition.

"Terk?"

The gorilla returned Tarzan's gaze, and as she was about to make her escape, she bumped into the large, lumbering frame of the gorilla leader. Her eyes went wide in horror, and she shrank slightly before him. Tarzan's breath caught at the sight of Kerchak. The silverback looked first at Clayton, his eyes practically spewing fiery rage, then at Tarzan. He grunted angrily, gestured to Terk, and turned to leave.

"Wait, Kerchak!" Tarzan pleaded. "_Please_!"

The silverback turned, his eyes locking on Tarzan. His face hardened in rage. "I asked you to _protect _this family. And you _betrayed_ us all."

He then turned and lumbered away, taking his leave. Terk looked back down at Tarzan sympathetically, and then turned her attention to his companions. All of them were looking up at the gorillas, with solemn, sympathetic expressions on their faces. Donald watched her sadly as he took in a deep breath. Terk returned Donald's gaze for a moment before turning around slowly and following the leader.

It was then that everyone's expressions hardened in rage and every pair of eyes turned on Clayton, Sora folding his arms over his chest and Donald clenching his fists at his sides. But Tarzan's gaze bore the most anger out of anyone's. His long hair swung into his face as he turned sharply to glare at the British hunter.

Clayton looked at everyone's faces, his eyes wide in panic.

"You don't understand," he told them defensively. "I was only trying to…" He searched frantically for something to say. "Ah, a _snake_ slithered by, you see." The words were practically stumbling over themselves clumsily. "I _saved_ that poor gorilla's life!"

Tarzan could feel the anger welling up within him as he glared at Clayton. He took in a few deep, slow breaths before finally shutting his eyes and turning away. He shook his head slowly from side to side and hung his head in disappointment.

* * *

"How could you _do _such a thing?" 

The group had returned to the tent and had explained what happened in the tree house to Jane. The young researcher was beside herself with rage. Her eyes were burning angrily as she turned on Clayton, yelling at him, her words said as clear as crystal, every syllable shaking in wrath.

"Now, Miss Porter," Clayton started to say, defending himself, "as I _told _you, I was not aiming at the _gorilla_."

Jane stepped up to Clayton, pushing her face into his, pointing one finger at him angrily. "_You _are _not _to go near the gorillas again!"

The hunter was taken aback somewhat. He laughed nervously, trying to loosen the tension in the tent. "All because of one mishap?" Clayton asked, chuckling slightly. "Come now…"

Clayton's attempt to soften the group hadn't worked at all. Everyone in the tent glared angrily at him, their faces only hardening with frustration and disappointment. Jane stood with her hands on her hips, her lips pressed together in a tight line, taking deep breaths through her nostrils in an attempt to calm herself (which wasn't working very well). Sora folded his arms over his chest as Tarzan turned around to glare at Clayton over his shoulder, his eyes burning in silent anger. Donald and Goofy stood behind the other three, equally enraged by Clayton's actions, Donald tapping one webbed foot on the floor.

Realizing he was outnumbered, Clayton slowly backed out of the tent, chuckling nervously. He turned around as he reached the doorway and threw the flap of canvas out of his way viciously. As soon as he was outside, Clayton's face twisted angrily.

"What am I _doing _with these imbeciles?" he asked himself, frustrated. He gripped his shotgun tightly in his hands. "Blasted gorillas! I'll hunt down _every last one_ of them!"

He tapped the barrel of the shotgun in the palm of his other hand, and then slowly lowered it again, not releasing it from his grip. His free hand clenched into a tight fist as he remembered that they had no idea as to the gorilla's whereabouts.

"I'll track them down _somehow_." Clayton took a breath, calming himself down slightly. "I'll stake my _life _on it."

Clayton then pulled out a matchbox and pipe from the bag that was tied to his belt. He lit up the pipe and was about to put it to his lips when he heard a noise; a rustling from within the surrounding forest of bamboo. Clayton's eyes went wide. Immediately, he lowered the pipe as he strained his ears to pinpoint the location of whatever it was. More noises coming from the surrounding trees. Still nothing to be seen. The hunter put the pipe and matchbox away, tucking them back into their respective bags. More sounds. He continued to search the area, spinning slowly in place, looking around, getting ready with his shotgun. Still more sounds. Coming from somewhere else. Clayton raised the shotgun. He knew where it was coming from now. He aimed the barrel to the source.

He fired.

The sound of the gunshot echoed loudly throughout the jungle.

* * *

Everyone inside the tent looked up at the sound of the gunshot, Jane jumping slightly at the loud noise. Sora's eyes went wide as he looked over at the others. 

"What was that?"

Tarzan's eyes lowered slightly. "Clayton."

Jane smiled slightly at Tarzan, her face softening. "Yes, Clayton," she confirmed. "It sounded like he shot at something." Her face took on a thoughtful glaze. "But what…?"

Donald grunted. "Who cares? That guy gets what he deserves."

"Oh, don't mind Mr. Clayton," Jane told Donald gently. "He's not a bad person – just a bit impetuous."

"Impetuous is right!" Donald said with a loud scoff, folding his arms over his chest in a huff. "Never met a guy more impetuous in my life!"

Sora rolled his eyes and crossed the floor toward the entrance of the tent, pulling back the flap of canvas so that he could see outside. Tarzan followed him slowly, glancing outside with an intense expression of solemnity on his face. There wasn't a soul to be found. The entire campground was deserted. Sora and Tarzan exchanged glances.

Goofy looked over at Jane, raising his hand slightly in the air to ask a question. "Uhh, what's 'impetuous' mean?"

Jane looked at Goofy, momentarily disoriented, and then smiled. "If someone is impetuous, then that means that that person acts hastily or rashly, or with sudden feeling." She placed one hand under her chin thoughtfully as she tried to think of a simpler way of putting it. "Abruptly and passionately, I suppose one could say."

"Oh!" Goofy exclaimed. "Y'mean like Donald?"

The duck turned to look at Goofy, his eyes wide in anger and disbelief. "I am _not _impetuous!"

Sora smiled. "Keep tellin' yourself that, Donald."

Donald's face began to turn red with rage, one hand clenching into a fist as Goofy began to laugh heartily, throwing his head back slightly. He began to mutter threateningly under his breath. Having taken a long, hard look at what was going on outside, Tarzan looked up and nodded at Sora. The Key Bearer returned the nod and turned to the others.

"Either way, we should probably go look for Clayton."

"He's not outside?"

"Well, he's outside. Just… not where we can see him." He cast a meaningful look toward Donald and Goofy. "And things being… the way they are…"

Almost immediately, they understood what was being said. Even Goofy. Glancing at each other briefly, both Goofy and Donald crossed the floor toward Sora and peered out into the clearing. It had really been completely deserted. Jane frowned slightly upon realizing that she was left in the dark.

"How do you mean?" she asked them.

She looked to Tarzan for an answer, but Tarzan merely returned Jane's gaze, without even a gleam of a hint in his intense, focused green eyes. The jungle man looked over at Sora and the others with an acknowledging nod and grunt.

"Let's go."

Jane watched helplessly as all four of them exited the tent without a word to her. She sighed, plopping down into the armchair, and began to fiddle absentmindedly with the slides. She looked wistfully at the doorway and took a deep breath.

"Be careful, Tarzan," she said softly.

As soon as they had all stepped outside, slight chills began to run up their spines. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Tarzan especially felt the strange new tension that hung in the air. The usual jungle atmosphere had been interrupted by something. It had to be something powerful. Usually, _nothing _could make the jungle feel as cold as it did at that moment. That's when they all heard an unusual popping noise, as though something had magically appeared in the area, followed by a series of soft thuds. It was a familiar noise. Sora held his breath, his heart beat quickening as he turned to look.

"Heartless!"

Not fifteen feet away from where they were all standing, was a group of shadow Heartless, crouched low to the floor and staring at the Key Bearer with their glowing yellow eyes. Sora clenched his fists at his sides and willed the Keyblade into the grip of his right hand, then got into a fighting stance. Both Donald and Goofy did the same. Within moments, all three of them had charged headlong into battle, swinging their weapons viciously, slicing through the shadows expertly.

No one realized it at first, but Tarzan, too, had joined the fight. Pulling together a crude spear with a sharpened rock, some rope, and a wooden pole, Tarzan jumped in. He swung and jabbed the spear into the bodies of the Heartless and essentially defeated them with only one or two hits. When Sora found the opportunity, he watched Tarzan as he fought his way through the Heartless that crossed his path. He battled as viciously and gracefully as a jungle cat. Sora's jaw may have dropped, but he was too much in awe to be able to tell.

"Tarzan, you're awesome!" Sora exclaimed as soon as the last Heartless was disposed of.

Tarzan tilted his head slightly to one side. "Awe… some…?"

It took Sora a moment to remember that English wasn't exactly Tarzan's first language. "Oh, uh, 'awesome' means…" He folded his arms over his chest as he tried to think of how to explain. "Well… It's like, really really great."

It took another moment for Tarzan to fully understand. He then looked at Sora and smiled. "Awesome."

Sora grinned. "Awesome!"

"This is no time for an English lesson!" Donald quacked.

"He's right," said Goofy. "We've gotta find Clayton!"

"Oh yeah," Sora gasped. "If there are Heartless around, then he could be in real trouble!"

Tarzan then moved forward, raising his nose slightly in the air and taking a deep whiff, trying to pick up a scent. He then turned to Sora and the others with a slight grunt and pointed toward the bamboo thicket. "This way. Follow me."

The jungle man took the lead, bounding toward the thicket on all fours like a gorilla, the others following closely behind him. They moved through an open path within the growth of bamboo. It was clear to all of them that the way had been made by slicing through the thicket. Sora narrowed his eyes at the short stumps of bamboo that remained.

"Looks like Clayton was here."

Tarzan glanced at the stumps and frowned. "Yes."

After almost a half hour of navigating through the bamboo thicket, the group came out into a familiar clearing. The area was completely surrounded by bamboo, a large stone placed in the middle by itself. Donald and Goofy looked around and gasped in surprise. They moved forward slightly and double checked, exchanging surprised looks as they did so. Sora scratched his head in confusion.

"What's up, guys?"

Goofy looked back at Sora. "This is where me an' Donald ended up after the crash."

"And look at _this_!" Donald said in surprise, moving toward the stone.

The duck pointed at something that rested on the rock's surface. Tarzan and Sora hurried to join them, peering over their shoulders at what Donald had found; a large curved wooden pipe. The duck picked the pipe up and showed it to Sora and Tarzan, his eyes wide in alarm. Placing his spear on the jungle floor, Tarzan took the pipe into his hands and inspected it, running the tips of his fingers over its surface and smelling it.

"Clayton."

"So he was here!" Goofy exclaimed, his face brightening. He then looked around, baffled. "But then… where is he now?"

"Well, he couldn't have gotten too far," said Donald, folding his arms over his chest.

Just then, a loud ruckus of screaming and screeching came from deeper into the jungle, opposite the direction that the group had just come from. Everyone turned around to see what was happening and saw a young black and gray gorilla bounding toward them. As soon as it caught sight of Tarzan, its yelling became less frantic and more direct as it called out Tarzan's name in gorilla.

Tarzan's eyebrows came together in concern as his intense gaze shifted, in search of something behind the gorilla. And everyone gasped when they saw a group of monkey-like Heartless bounding swiftly toward them, leaping off of rocks and poles of bamboo. They were constantly looking about them warily, their large glowing eyes darting about wildly, and jumping from one foot to the other. They leapt from the tops of the trees and landed several feet away from Tarzan. The Heartless looked at the group before them, confirmed the presence of the Key Bearer, and charged.

Everyone immediately armed themselves, using their respective weapons to block the attack of the Heartless. The gorilla began to shriek wildly, pounding its fists on the floor as the battle began. The eyes of the numerous Heartless gleamed malevolently as they took furious swings with their massive monkey-like paws, the sharp nails serving as their vicious weapons. Tarzan knocked the Heartless away from him with a sharp push on his spear. He glared at the beast for a moment before pouncing on it, the tip of his spear extended toward the Heartless. Goofy used his shield to cover for Donald as the wizard furiously cast a thunder spell on the wild monkey-like shadows.

Sora, on the other hand, struggled against the Heartless that had leapt at him. While he had been able to deal a fair amount of damage to the first of the shadows that had attacked him, the Heartless were quick to surround and gang up on him. Some of them had taken hold of his ankles while another jumped at him and knocked him to the ground. Fortunately for him, Sora had been able to stop the Heartless that had pounced on him from hurting him with the help of the Keyblade. He kicked his legs in an effort to shake away the other Heartless while trying to throw the one on top of him away.

"Hey!" he shouted to the others. "I could use a little _help _here!"

The gorilla yelled loudly, its voice reaching greater volume than Sora's, drawing everyone (and every _thing's_)attention toward it. It gestured desperately at Sora as soon as Tarzan responded to its call. Tarzan threw one of the Heartless to the floor and began to head toward Sora when he heard the gorilla screeching once again. As he looked, he saw that several Heartless were jumping toward the gorilla. Without another moment's thought, Tarzan hurried to protect his gorilla companion.

Meanwhile, Sora continued to struggle against the Heartless that had him pinned to the floor. He had managed to kick some of them in the face and knock them slightly away, but they always came back to continue. Not to mention the Heartless on top of him that he was still fending off with his Keyblade. Sora gritted his teeth as one set of claws almost managed to scratch across his cheek.

"GUYS!"

Donald shot a glance in Sora's direction and was about to blast the Heartless off of him with a fireball when he stubbornly changed his mind. He then switched targets and shot the ball of fire at one of the other Power Wilds that was closest to him. Goofy, on the other hand, jumped to Sora's aid, shoving the monster off of the Key Bearer with his shield. Tarzan bounded to Sora's side as soon as he had successfully protected the gorilla and immediately slashed at the last of the Heartless that had pounced on Sora.

"Sora, are you okay?" Goofy asked him urgently as he quickly helped Sora to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm good," Sora assured him. He then narrowed his eyes as he turned his gaze on Donald. "No thanks to _him_."

"He's _fine_," said Donald hotly, without so much as a backward glance.

Sora's grip grew tighter around the hilt of the Keyblade. He tore his gaze away from Donald and charged viciously at one of the Power Wilds, channeling his anger toward the duck into his attacks. Donald did the same. With their stubborn rage and misplaced aggression powering the battle, the remaining Heartless were quickly defeated. Even if Tarzan and Goofy hadn't extended any help, the pair of them would have been enough to finish the monsters off. As they observed them, Tarzan and Goofy realized that they were competing; who could finish off more of the Heartless fastest. When Sora's Keyblade sliced through the body of the last monkey Heartless, Donald folded his arms over his chest with a loud, stubborn, "harumph!"

For a moment, Sora forgot that he and Donald were quarreling and looked over at his companion with a grin on his face. But as soon as he saw the duck, turned away from him with his arms folded, Sora immediately remembered and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you both okay?" Goofy asked them. "No scratches or nothing?"

His companions didn't even bother to answer. They stood in stubborn, tense silence, not facing each other. Goofy sighed, exasperated. This was getting hopeless.

Tarzan moved toward the gorilla and began to speak with it in low, calm tones. Eventually, the gorilla handed something to Tarzan and said its goodbyes. Tarzan peered at the object that the gorilla had given him curiously for a moment before moving back to rejoin Donald, Goofy, and Sora, all three of whom were standing together in perfect silence. Goofy looked over at Tarzan as he approached, his eyes widening when he saw a Gummi block in Tarzan's grip.

"Donald!" he said excitedly. "Donald, _look_!"

The duck turned slightly to see what Goofy was getting excited about. His eyes shot wide open when he saw the Gummi block and he immediately moved to Goofy's side. Sora looked over and watched them calmly, folding his arms and shifting his weight onto one leg.

"A Gummi block!" breathed the King's companions. They both looked up at Tarzan. "Where did you get this?"

Tarzan looked confused for a moment. "The… gorilla. She… thanks you."

Sora shot a glance in the direction that the gorilla had ran off and smiled slightly. He then looked at Clayton's pipe, which had fallen to the floor when the Heartless attacked. He picked it up and examined it again before tucking it away.

"Come on guys, we gotta go find Clayton."

Everyone looked over at Sora, somewhat surprised that he had taken charge. Goofy and Tarzan nodded at each other in agreement and followed him, Goofy putting the Gummi block away. Donald watched them for a moment as they left and then, making a face, hesitantly followed.

As they headed deeper into the jungle, their surroundings seemed to grow narrower and narrower, engulfing them in the tangled mesh of trees and moss covered stones. The trees began to loom over them larger and larger, vines visibly dangling from their thick, stretched out branches. The trunks were thicker than entire buildings, their surface covered with moss and other, smaller plants. The sun had risen higher into the sky by then, casting shadows through the canopy of all the tree leaves that were almost directly above them. The floor was covered in various green plants such that hardly any dirt could be seen through their thick growth. It felt like the jungle had consumed them within its heart.

The silence that had blanketed the entire group had slowly been eating at Goofy. He was constantly looking at Sora and Donald, hoping that they would crack and finally apologize to one another about what had happened on the ship. The way Goofy saw things, both of them were at fault. As time went on, Goofy was able to see a visible breakdown in Sora's expression; he slowly went from stubborn, silent annoyance to being perfectly calm. Donald, on the other hand, was as stubborn as ever.

"Um, would one of you guys _please _say something?" Goofy asked, getting desperate.

They slowly turned to look at one another, their expressions completely unchanged, then looked back at Goofy. Even Tarzan slowed in his step to look over at the group that trailed just a few steps behind him and watched. Goofy looked at each of his friends in turn.

"Why can't you guys just say 'sorry' to each other, huh?"

Donald growled and turned quickly away. "No way," he said coldly.

Sora folded his arms over his chest. "Only if _he _says sorry _first_."

The duck shot an angry glance at Sora. "Why do _I _hafta apologize first?"

"Because _you _wouldn't listen to me and land the ship!"

"_What?_"

"If you had just heard us out and let us check this place out…!"

"Well if _you _hadn't just jumped at the controls the way ya had, we wouldn't've _crashed_!"

"Yeah, but if we _didn't _come here, then you _never _would've found those Gummi blocks!"

"So it's thanks to _you?_"

The boy hesitated for a moment. "Well - "

"We don't _need _you!" Donald yelled in his fit of rage. "We can find the king all on our own!"

Sora's face twisted furiously, turning slightly red. "Oh _yeah_?"

Goofy gasped in alarm. "Donald! The king _said _- "

Donald ignored his companion and turned to Sora in rage. "Yeah! Just get outta here!"

As the argument grew more and more fiery, Tarzan's attention had caught on something else. He had only torn his eyes away for a moment to look around, but as soon as he had done so, he noticed something strange concealed within the thick growth of foliage that grew on the base of a large tree trunk. Tarzan stared at it for a long while, trying to distinguish its features. It was definitely an animal. Relatively large, with a golden coat and dark splotches all across its body. It lay perfectly still, as though it weren't even alive. Maybe it wasn't. Tarzan slowly started to turn around.

"_Fine then_!" Sora shouted, spinning around on his heel and stomping away. "I _will_!"

Donald turned away. "_Good_!"

"Sora, wait!" Goofy called after him.

"Whose side are you on, Goofy?" Donald roared.

Tarzan tore his gaze away from the mysterious creature to glance at Sora. And that's when it rushed out of its waiting place and charged toward them, a blur of yellow fur and sharp claws and teeth. The leopard headed straight for Sora, the young, lean piece of meat that stood alone, most vulnerable.

"Sora!" Tarzan shouted urgently. "No!"

"Sora!" Goofy yelled, terrified. "_SORA_!"

The boy had little time to react. He had seen the leopard running at him just a fraction of a second too late. If only he had turned a moment earlier, there would've been time to will the Keyblade into his grasp and block the leopard's attack. Fortunately for Sora, Tarzan managed to push Sora out of danger's way and draw the cat's attention to him. Sora went rolling across the jungle floor until he stopped several feet away. Goofy immediately ran to Sora's side and grabbed his arms, helping him back up. Sora shook his head vigorously from side to side.

"Sora, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sora replied. His blue eyes turned upward. "But Tarzan…"

The leopard and Tarzan circled each other slowly, their eyes locked on each other. Tarzan hissed at the leopard, growling its name. "Sabor."

Sabor responded with a growl; a low, threatening rumble deep within its throat. It looked over at Sora and Goofy, and then at Donald. It didn't take long for Sabor to realize which would be easiest to make its next meal. The leopard ignored the threat that Tarzan posed for the moment and charged toward the duck. Donald wailed loudly, panicked, and frantically pulled out his mage's staff. But even as the weapon was pointed at Sabor's powerful cat figure, Donald was too panicked to be able to focus his energy.

At this, Sora leapt to his feet, willing the Keyblade forward, and attacked. He took the Keyblade into both hands and then threw it at the leopard. The weapon spun through the air in a straight line toward the jungle cat, flying so quickly and with such force that when it smacked Sabor, the leopard was knocked away at an angle. Tarzan bounded forward and caught Sabor, wrapping his arms around the leopard and locking its front limbs tight in his strong grip. He looked up at the trio, who had regrouped around Donald.

"GO, _NOW_!" he ordered them as he held the leopard fast.

"No!" Sora shouted back. "We're not leaving you!"

Tarzan's eyes went wide in surprised awe. His grip on Sabor loosened slightly. Just slightly enough, as it would turn out. In that very moment, the leopard broke free of Tarzan's grip and turned on him furiously. Sabor ran at Tarzan, forcing Tarzan to retreat up into the branches of a nearby tree. Just as the leopard was about to follow him up the tree, Sora leapt forward and took hold of Sabor's tail. With a rough yank, Sora managed to throw the animal down to the ground. As soon as Tarzan reached one of the higher branches, he spun around and looked behind him. His eyes went wide when he saw that Sora was fighting Sabor.

"Sora! No!"

The leopard was sent rolling across the jungle floor until it finally managed to catch itself by digging its claws into the dirt and rocks. Then, having recovered, Sabor charged at Sora, its target once again shifting, its jaws wide open and its teeth gleaming with saliva. The boy used the Keyblade to block the oncoming attack and push the animal back.

Donald scoffed at the display. "What a show off," he grumbled to Goofy.

"But Sora _saved_ you, Donald!"

"I coulda handled that on my own."

Goofy rolled his eyes. Suddenly, Tarzan leapt down from the trees and landed right next to Goofy with a spear in one hand. His gaze was fixated urgently on the battle between Sora and Sabor.

The leopard had managed to maneuver itself so that it was clinging to Sora's back, its claws digging deep into his clothes and puncturing flesh. Sora struggled with bearing the leopard's weight while keeping its teeth at bay with his Keyblade. Sabor only continued to dig its claws into Sora's clothes and skin as Sora struggled, until Sora finally dropped to his knees and forced Sabor's body to fall to the floor. The claws were still embedded in Sora's jacket until he used the Keyblade to strike Sabor's limbs until he was released. Having finally released himself from Sabor's grasp, Sora collapsed in a heap on the ground. He winced at his wounds as he slowly looked up at Sabor.

Tarzan and the others could only watch as Sabor rose to its feet and slowly begin to circle Sora, its hungry leopard eyes locked on his figure. Sora raised himself slightly as he tried to figure out how to escape. His mind raced – but it wasn't fast enough. Within moments, Sabor charged at him again, roaring viciously and baring its long, white fangs.

Goofy and Donald jumped to their feet, their eyes shooting wide open. "_SORA!_"

Sora fell backward slightly and prepared himself for the worst; to feel the leopard's teeth and claws digging into his flesh and ripping it clean out. He squeezed his eyes shut, his whole body trembling, his grip on the Keyblade tightening until his knuckles turned white. Images of Kairi and Riku flashed through his mind at light speed.

In the same instant that Sabor had leapt forward, Tarzan had sprung into action, swinging in on a vine and kicking Sabor out of the air and sending him flying into the trunk of a tree. The leopard crashed against the thick trunk and then rolled down the bumpy length of the tree back to the floor. Sabor immediately jumped to its feet and glared at Tarzan with a loud growl. Sora peeled his eyes open, relieved to see Tarzan standing between him and the leopard.

Tarzan gripped the spear tightly in one hand, every ounce of his attention focused on every move that Sabor made, every muscle that tensed on the leopard's body, every time its eyes flicked from one target to the other. Sora found himself frozen in place, paralyzed partially in fear and partially in awe. Goofy and Donald hurried to Sora's side and pulled him away from the battle scene as quickly as they could. The Keyblade vanished from Sora's grasp.

"What's the matter with you?" Donald yelled as he pulled out a Hi-Potion and handed it to Sora. "You coulda been _killed_!"

Sora's fingers drifted to where Sabor's claws had dug into his skin and winced slightly as his fingers touched it. "What do _you _care?" he muttered quietly. "All you care about is finding your king."

Only then did Sora take the bottle from Donald. He took a few small sips before returning his gaze urgently to Tarzan and Sabor.Donald clenched his fists at his sides, unable to say anything in response.

For a long, drawn out, tense moment, Tarzan and Sabor merely circled, their eyes locked on each other, the tip of Tarzan's spear pointing at the leopard. Suddenly, the jungle cat dashed at Tarzan quick as lightning, kicking up dirt and grass behind it. Tarzan leapt backward in a dodge and continued to back away, jumping up into a large, nearby tree, feeling the way with his free hand. It wasn't long before they reached a spot where the large roots of the tree had grown together, forming a small, flat platform overgrown with jungle foliage.

As Sabor slashed one claw fiercely at him, Tarzan looked about him and quickly grabbed hold of a nearby low hanging vine. He propelled himself back toward the tree, planting his bare feet on the trunk and, while still holding the vine in his left hand, ran all the way around the tree trunk to gain momentum. Tarzan leaned forward as he ran, streamlining his body, stretching his neck so he could see what was coming toward him. He launched himself forward, leaping from the tree trunk and landing back on the large roots, readying his spear in his grip. But the leopard had vanished.

Sora and the others ran as quickly as they could to keep up with the battle, stumbling over the tree's roots clumsily. Pulling himself over the roots, Sora did his best to keep his eyes glued on Tarzan and Sabor, but they had been moving so quickly it had become quite a difficult task. By the time Tarzan had re-entered his field of vision, the jungle man was standing alone, looking around him warily. Sora let out a breath, relieved to see Tarzan still alive.

Just then, Goofy found Sabor. "LOOK!"

Donald and Sora looked to where Goofy pointed and saw the leopard in one of the branches just above Tarzan's head. The ferocious jungle cat glared down at Tarzan, preparing to launch itself from its perch at its enemy. Sora rose to his feet as quickly as he could, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Tarzan! Above you!"

The moment Sora had called out his warning, Sabor pounced. Tarzan turned his attention upward in time to see the leopard coming toward him, claws outstretched and teeth bared. Thinking quickly, he used his spear to block the oncoming attack and diverted the leopard's momentum downward, throwing the animal to the jungle floor far below them. Sabor landed on the ground with a loud, painful sounding thud, and then quickly recovered, jumping to its feet.

The leopard examined itself quickly and found a scratch on the length of its front leg. Its eyes shot wide open and Sabor turned to glare at Tarzan with a loud, malicious hiss. Tarzan adjusted his hold on the spear, returning the leopard's angry stare and mimicked the leopard, hissing ferociously back.

Tarzan leapt down from the tree roots so that he was level with Sabor, staying in his crouched position with the tip of the spear always pointed at Sabor. By then, Sora and the others had made their way to the foliage covered roots overlooking what had just become the new battlefield. They peered over the edge at where the two fighters were circling each other again. After a brief moment Sora made up his mind and slowly began to climb his way down to the lower level.

"Sora!" Donald yelled, grabbing onto Sora's arm before he went out of reach. "Whaddaya think you're doing?"

"I'm not just gonna _sit _here and let Tarzan fight it by himself!" Sora told him firmly, shaking himself free of Donald's grasp. "I don't leave my friends behind!"

With that, Sora wrenched his arm away and hurriedly climbed down the tangle of roots to reach Tarzan. Donald was momentarily stunned.

Suddenly, Sabor dashed forward, running at Tarzan so quickly that Tarzan barely had time to react. He managed to raise his spear upward in defense, but the leopard's claws broke through the wood and slashed across the left side of Tarzan's chest. The jungle man fell back slightly, wincing at his wounds, the three perfect red lines from which droplets of blood began to trickle. Tarzan glared at Sabor hatefully. He took the spear into both hands, glancing down for a split second to examine it. It was then that he realized that the sharp stone tip had broken off. The leopard growled low in its throat before jumping Tarzan again and successfully pinning him to the ground.

Sora's eyes went wide. "TARZAN!"

He then jumped the rest of the way down and ran at Sabor. He grabbed onto the leopard's flesh, both hands gripping a full set of fur, and began to try to pull the animal off of Tarzan. This only made the cat angrier. Almost immediately it turned on Sora, striking Sora with one clawed paw and hitting him back slightly, forcing Sora to release the handfuls of fur that he had grabbed and step away. Sabor's weight then shifted back onto Tarzan, pressing down on him. The jungle man did his best to keep the leopard's jaws away from him with what remained of his spear. As he did so, he tried to look around for where the tip of his spear had fallen. He caught a glimpse of it lying in a tangle of vines several feet below them.

Just then, there was a flash of bright orange light, followed by the smell of burnt fur and flesh and an angry hiss and roar as Sabor was practically shoved off of Tarzan. Both Sora and Tarzan looked up to where the light had come from. There, standing on the top of the large tangle of tree roots, was Donald, his mage's staff extended forward, smoke extending from the top of it like a gun barrel after it had been fired. No doubt about it; Donald had shot Sabor with a fireball. The Key Bearer smiled to himself before willing the Keyblade into his right hand. He charged.

As Tarzan jumped to his feet and hurried to reach the tip of his spear, Sora did his best to battle Sabor, Donald watching his back from up high and Goofy climbing down the tree roots to reach them. Sora had managed a way to successfully deflect the leopard's razor sharp claws with the length of the Keyblade, but it was just about all that he could do. Between blocks and deflects, Sora wasn't able to get in a single attack. Sabor was strong. Sora was being pushed slowly backward.

Thinking quickly, Sora pushed the leopard back slightly and made a break for the nearest tree, squeezing himself between the tangled roots in order to keep Sabor at bay until he came up with an idea. He stole a glance in Tarzan's direction and saw that the leopard had returned its attention to him. The jungle cat swiftly made a break for Tarzan, growling low in its throat as it approached from behind. Sora clenched his teeth together and pulled himself out of the roots slightly. He aimed the tip of the Keyblade at Sabor, focused as best as he could, and shot out a fireball. The flaming projectile hurtled toward the leopard, but missed it by only a few inches. However, the shot had managed to grab Sabor's attention.

Donald slapped his forehead and groaned. "He shoulda left that to _me_…"

Sora cursed his bad luck under his breath as the leopard growled and hissed angrily at Sora. Tarzan turned slightly, just in time to see Sabor slink quickly away from him and toward where Sora had concealed himself. He glanced at the sharp stone less than ten feet away from where he stood, and then looked back to where Sora and the leopard were. His mind conflicted, screaming too many different things at once.

The Key Bearer put the Keyblade away and ducked into the shelter of the tangled roots as Sabor was just about to reach his hiding place. The leopard roared furiously as it thrust its paws forward, smashing through the thin bark covering, its claws reaching just inches before Sora's body. The boy yelled in terror as Sabor continued to try to attack him through the roots.

Tarzan moved slightly toward Sabor, hesitant. His eyes darted back and forth between Sabor and his only weapon. From Sora's hiding place, he could see Tarzan. He took a deep breath and leaned toward the hole through which he could see Tarzan, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Tarzan! I'll be fine! Get your weapon!"

By then Sabor had climbed around the nest of roots and had managed to come eye to eye with Sora, hissing straight into his face angrily. Sora jumped backward with a loud yell, bumping his head against the more solid roots. The leopard growled as it moved away and began sticking its paws into the spaces between the roots again.

The jungle man's eyes went wide, impressed by the young boy's bravery before he moved quickly to retrieve his weapon.

Sora's hands fumbled around his surroundings in search of a weapon he could use; the space there was much too small for the Keyblade to fit. Soon enough, Sora managed to grab hold of a large rock, and as soon as Sabor's paw crashed through another section of bark, Sora locked the paw at the wrist by wedging the rock into the same hole. Sabor roared angrily, rearing backward in an attempt to pull its paw out of the trap. Sora then wedged himself out of his hiding place hurriedly. The leopard took one feeble slash at him as the boy pulled himself out, missing as Sora clumsily tumbled from the net of roots and dropped to the ground below him.

Soon enough, Sabor managed to pull its paw out and, with a loud, infuriated roar, leapt to the ground and spun around to look at Sora. Sora took in deep breaths through his mouth, keeping his eyes on the leopard. One false move and it could all end right there.

Without another moment's hesitation, the leopard ran a charge straight for Sora, roaring fiercely. Sora braced himself. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared Goofy, right in front of Sora, just in time to block Sabor's attack and push the animal away. Sora looked up at his companion, surprised.

"Goofy!"

The captain looked over at Sora and smiled. "Didja think I was just gonna _let _you get eaten?"

Sora smiled and chuckled slightly. "Thanks."

That's when Tarzan's voice rang out in a loud battle cry. Everyone's attention returned to Tarzan and Sabor. Tarzan had grabbed hold of the leopard and thrown him farther away from Sora and Goofy. As the leopard recovered from the hit, Tarzan taunted it, mimicking the leopard's growl and roar. Sora looked at Tarzan's hand. The sharpened stone was gripped tight between Tarzan's fingers.

Suddenly, Sabor pounced at Tarzan, and everyone could only watch helplessly as both fighters fell backward, falling through a small, narrow hole that had previously been half covered by the surrounding foliage and small twigs and branches. Tarzan's yell echoed up from within the pit. Sora's eyes went wide as he leapt to his feet and ran forward.

"TARZAN!"

Goofy jumped forward and grabbed Sora by the shoulders. "Sora, wait!"

"I'm not gonna wait!" Sora told Goofy firmly, trying to shake himself free. "I told you guys, I don't abandon my friends!"

A wry smile crossed Goofy's face. "It's okay, Sora! Just believe in Tarzan. He's gonna be just fine, you'll see!"

Sora fell silent. He looked at Goofy in surprise, his eyes wide. Then slowly, he turned his gaze to the pit and took a deep breath. "Just believe?"

Goofy nodded slowly. He then dropped his hands and looked over at the pit. By then Donald had clambered down to the lower level as quickly as he could and had rejoined the others. For a long while, everyone merely stared at the open pit expectantly, waiting for the victor to emerge. If it was Tarzan, then they had won. But if it wasn't… then they would be ready for it.

After a long, drawn out moment, noises could be heard from within the pit. Some of the vines that ran deeper into the pit began to shake slightly. Something was coming. One of the fighters had won. The trio pulled out their weapons and got into their fighting stance. Sora took in a few deep breaths through his nostrils, preparing himself.

Ever so slowly, a yellow fur coat emerged, pulling itself out of the pit, it's shoulder blades visibly working to do so. The leopard's head was still hidden from view as it worked to free itself from the confines of the narrow hole. Sora and the others gripped their weapons, ready to finish the battle, when suddenly the rest of Sabor emerged from the hole. Its body dropped to the floor, limp, revealing a victorious Tarzan as he pulled himself out. He looked up at the trio and smiled slightly. Everyone let out a loud, relieved breath, and they all helped Tarzan out of the hole.

Sora's eyes dropped to the floor. "Sorry, Tarzan."

Tarzan looked at Sora, confused. "Why?"

"Because I… I doubted you. I… should have just believed that you would win."

For a long moment, they merely stood in silence, Sora's eyes lowered, until Tarzan placed one hand over Sora's heart. Confused, Sora raised his eyes to look Tarzan full in the face. Tarzan's expression was solemn for a long time. At length, Tarzan smiled.

"Sora, Tarzan, friends," he said. "It is… okay."

He then took hold of Sora's hand and placed something in his palm, closing Sora's fingers around it before removing his hand. Surprised, Sora uncurled his fingers and peered curiously at what he had been given. It was a single white fang. Sora's eyes went wide, his eyes darting to Sabor's limp body and then to Tarzan's face.

"This isn't… what I _think _it is… Is it, Tarzan?"

Tarzan smiled. "Sora very brave," he told him. "It's… a present."

He put one hand over his heart and then pointed at Sora's. Donald and Goofy exchanged surprised looks. For a moment, Sora was very confused, but it didn't take too long for him to see the significance of it. He smiled back at Tarzan and was just about to thank him, when the sound of a gunshot echoed across the jungle. Everyone's eyes turned skyward as they listened to the loud noise echo and a large flock of birds could be seen taking off into the sky. They all turned to look at each other worriedly.

It had come from the direction of the camp.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Woohoo! Madd movie references here... Since Kerchak never spoke in the game, I had to give him some lines from the movie. Kala too. And the Sabor fight... straight outta the movie. It was a grueling task, translating that scene into novel format (I had half a mind to find the original Tarzan books, but I decided against that). Another thing... trying to figure out exactly _where _Tarzan's command over the english language is atat this point in the game was really hard. It's not as good as it was by the end of the movie, it's more in the middle of the Strangers Like Me montage, so... yeah. Thus the title of the chapter. Also touching on a few motifs...that last scene with Tarzan was a little strange, I realize this. But I felt the need to get a start on that "believe" stuff. ... umm... yeah. :) 

Another thing... Donald and Sora's ongoing argument... I had to make it carry on throughout the chapter. So they're throwing their private tantrums in their heads, being the stubborn donkeys that they are. And hey, throughout this world, I really _was _annoyed with Donald. I quickly switched him out in favor of Tarzan's insane gorilla strength and jungle man skills. ... then again, I switch Donald out in favor of a _lot _of characters but... oh well. Sorry Donald:D


	14. You'll Be In My Heart

**_Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko_**

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after Day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: _Over 100,000 words!_**

Goodness, I'm working as fast as I can here. I know it really happens a lot faster in the game, but then again you're not interacting with your party. _Kanben shite kure yo _(Japanese for: Cut me some slack). :D I'm happy to see that people are enjoying the story. Speaking of ... I know how you feel about Hollow Bastion. I can't wait to get there either! Waaahh, I wish I could get ideas on how to fill stuff in faster! That _always _holds me up!

_If you wanna see something interesting, go check out the Conversation of Madness up on my profile. It's this weird conversation that I had with a friend(who posts here). Take a look if you like. :D_

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**Chapter 13  
You'll Be In My Heart**

_Deep Jungle_

By the time Sora, Tarzan, Donald and Goofy managed to reach the camp, they were already too late. The campgrounds looked as though it had been hit by a tornado. Books and papers were lying around the floor as though they had all been thrown. Shards of broken porcelain plates and bowls littered the ground, along with several broken crates and chests. Furniture had been knocked down. The entire chemistry set on the table had been smashed into pieces. Parts of the tents had collapsed. It was clear that somebody – or some_thing_ – had attacked the camp.

"Where's… Where's Jane…?"

"Jane?" Tarzan called urgently, rushing forward and searching for traces of the young British woman. "Jane! JANE!"

As Tarzan set to work in search of Jane, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were dumbfounded. They stood as though rooted to the spot, taking in the damages that had been caused in silence. After a long while, they haltingly moved further into the camp, bending down to examine the debris. Sora picked up one of the pieces of a broken plate and inspected it slowly, his eyes wide. He then stood and wandered over to another set of wreckage to look at it. He then looked over at his companions.

"You think that…"

"Could it have been the Heartless?" Goofy wondered as he rose to his feet and looked around.

Donald nodded slowly, but then closed his eyes and shook his head. "It looks like it, but… It doesn't make any sense, though. Why would they attack the camp?"

The trio looked at each other in turn, as though they were each expecting one of the others to have an answer. But none of them did.

"Jane!" Tarzan cried out as he found her. "Sora! Help!"

Sora gestured to the others and immediately hurried to join Tarzan. He had found Jane laying on the ground near the tent, knocked out, a strip of canvas over her body partially concealing her from view. Sora's eyes widened at the sight of her.

"Who would do something like this?" he demanded angrily, speaking to no one in particular. "Why would they attack Jane?"

Tarzan scooped Jane up in his arms and propped her up into a sitting position against the side of the nearest crate that was in tact. He then began to shake her gently in an attempt to wake her up. Everyone crowded around her, kneeling down on the ground or standing nearby, as they waited for Jane to slowly come to her senses. Jane groaned slightly as she began to awaken, struggling to peel her eyes open.

"Jane!"

"Jane! Can you hear us? Are you okay?"

The young woman slowly opened her eyes and looked up into Tarzan's face as she waited for her vision to focus. She then leaned forward slightly, putting one hand to her forehead and groaning softly. Her eyes then shot open and she grabbed hold of Tarzan's arm.

"Tarzan!" she said to him urgently. "Oh, Tarzan, we've got to _do _something!"

"What happened?" Sora asked her.

"It was Clayton," Jane continued, looking over at the others, her eyes wide.

Sora's eyes widened. "Clayton?"

"There was… there was a _gorilla_. She came running into the tent and pushed me down to the floor. I tried to get up but she wouldn't let me, she held me down. I was so confused, and then all of a sudden, Clayton came to the tent, and…" Her voice trailed off, her grip on Tarzan's arm loosening slightly.

"And…?" Donald prompted her impatiently.

"That's… the last thing I remember," Jane said slowly. Her eyes then opened wide as she looked back up at the others. "I remember he said something about the gorillas. And he took away the one that came to the tent!"

Tarzan raised his head and began to sniff at the air. It didn't take long for him to pick up a familiar scent lingering around the campground. His eyes widened. "Terk."

Donald lifted his eyes slightly. "Isn't that what you called the gorilla we saw in the tree house?"

He nodded slowly in response. He sniffed at the air again and closed his eyes for a moment, interpreting the signatures that he was receiving. "Terk ran. Gorillas… trapped."

"We _must_ help the gorillas!" Jane exclaimed worriedly. She then rose slowly to her feet, Tarzan moving immediately to help her.

"Don't worry," Sora told her reassuringly. "We will." He looked at the others and nodded slightly. "Come on guys."

The Key Bearer turned around and began to walk away, with Donald and Goofy following close behind him. Jane reached out and took hold of Sora's jacket sleeve. "Wait."

Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned slightly to look at Jane. The young woman freed herself from Tarzan's hold so that she could stand on her own two feet. She turned her stern gaze on Sora.

"I'm going with you."

Tarzan's eyes went wide and he stared at Jane in awe, his mouth slightly agape. Donald laughed out loud for a while, throwing his head back and clutching his sides. Sora glanced at Donald and smiled slightly before looking back at Jane. Something in Jane's eyes looked deadly serious. The duck continued to laugh for a moment before realizing that no one else was laughing with him. He looked into Jane's face and, recognizing the stern look, straightened and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, but you can't come with us," Donald said.

"He's right, Jane," Goofy agreed. "It's too dangerous."

"I've already decided," Jane said firmly as she walked over to join them. "My mind is made up."

"But Jane…"

Sora looked over at Tarzan, unsure of what he should do, pleading silently for help. He didn't get any. Tarzan moved toward Jane and straightened to his full height. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at Tarzan, slightly intimidated by his seriousness. He looked her straight in the eye for a long moment and then looked at Sora. Somehow, without saying a single word to him, Sora understood. He sighed in defeat and smiled.

"Alright," he said. "But you have to be _really _careful, okay?"

Donald and Goofy looked to Sora in surprise. He merely shrugged as he turned to them. He then walked over to Goofy and patted him on the shoulder. "You've got the shield," he told him. "So make sure that Jane doesn't get hurt."

Jane smiled gratefully before looking back into Tarzan's face. The jungle man pushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. Her cheeks began to flush pink.

"Jane…"

"Don't worry, Tarzan," she told him. "I'll be alright. I… can take care of myself."

Jane stepped away from Tarzan slightly, dropped her gaze and turned to follow the others, tucking her hair behind one ear. She froze in place when she saw everyone. The trio stood only a few feet away, watching them with teasing smiles on their faces. Donald and Sora looked at each other and laughed slightly before looking back at Jane. Jane's face turned bright red. Tarzan turned his gaze on them and tilted his head slightly to one side.

"What?"

Sora grinned mischievously. "Nothing, nothing." He raised his arms over his head and turned. "We better get going if we wanna save the gorillas."

Tarzan wordlessly took Jane by the hand and followed Sora's lead.

* * *

The entire group of gorillas had been driven into a small area that was completely closed off by small cliffs of dirt and rock, leaving only a few ways to escape through. There were growths of ivy and other vegetation on small segments of the stone walls, and the roots of some of the larger trees could be seen protruding from within the rock and dirt. The leaves and branches of trees could still be seen from this part of the jungle, but not much light managed to reach this far to the floor. Any light that illuminated the cliff area came from the other side of one of the higher dirt walls, which was almost impossible to scale as it had no footholds or handholds. There wasn't a single growth of ivy spanning its surface; the only vegetation that was on it was several patches of green mass. 

The gorillas all huddled together, shaking in anxious terror as they stared wide eyed at the stranger before them and his horde of blue and gray monkeys. Some of them had been struck by the strange creatures and ran to the company of the others in fear. They watched nervously as the Heartless hopped up and down in place, their glowing yellow eyes locked on the figures of all the gorillas. Standing not far behind them was a tall British hunter, holding his shotgun in both hands as he surveyed the work of the Heartless that were at his command. A wry smile crossed his lips and he moved forward, raising his shotgun into position and aiming carefully at the nearest gorilla; a large brown female with gentle features on her face that seemed almost motherly.

Shrieking in terror, the other gorillas fled out of the way. Kala appeared to be paralyzed, her feet rooted to the spot. Her gentle brown eyes merely grew wide, her nostrils flaring. She looked to the others out of the corners of her eyes, but couldn't even find her voice to call to the others for help. Her entire body quaked in fear as she looked on, helpless.

Kerchak moved forward quickly and roared in offended rage. Almost immediately, a group of the Heartless fell from their perches in the nearby trees and descended upon the silverback. The other gorillas began to scream and holler, pounding their massive fists on the floor and baring their teeth. The hunter squeezed one eye shut and his finger began to slowly pull the trigger.

"_NO!_"

Sora and the others had arrived in the nick of time. They ran into the cliff area at top speed and slid through the dirt to a stop several feet away from where Clayton stood. Clayton glanced over at them, rolling his eyes slowly to the side to look. He lowered his gun slightly before turning his neck to look at them fully. He stared at them for a long moment, unflinching.

As soon as he had disposed of all the Heartless that had attacked him, Kerchak hurried to Kala's side and examined her quickly. He looked toward the others before gesturing for her to follow him. She obeyed him almost immediately, nodding slightly. All of the gorillas then retreated into the higher reaches of the area; into the trees or to the tops of the cliffs.

For a long, silent moment, Clayton merely stared at Sora as though they had never met before, his gun still in his grip even though his target had already escaped. Tarzan moved closer to Sora, narrowing his eyes at Clayton. The Key Bearer returned the hunter's stare, confused and frustrated all at once.

"Clayton?"

Tarzan stepped back slightly, shaking his head. "Not Clayton!" he yelled firmly. His grip on his spear tightened. "Ee ooh, oo ooh ah! _Not Clayton_!"

Sora looked over at Tarzan, confused. There was that gorilla word again. The same word that Tarzan had said before, when he asked about Riku and Kairi. What did that mean? Donald and Goofy exchanged confused looks. Goofy tilted his head slightly to one side, as though he were asking Donald for the answer. Donald merely shrugged in response. The young British woman looked at everyone in concern before looking over at Clayton. She stared at him for long moment, confused. There was something very different about him now. No one understood what was going on. Except, perhaps, for Tarzan. All eyes became fixated on him.

"Tarzan, what are you…?"

Suddenly, a horde of the monkey Heartless rushed to Clayton's side. They immediately turned to look at the group, still hopping in place. Jane gasped, her eyes wide in a mix of fear and horror. Clayton then nodded slightly, as though giving them a signal, and they all charged at once.

As soon as they had leapt into action, all the gorillas that had remained in the area began to shriek and scream, pounding their fists excitedly against the thicker tree branches or on the ground as they watched the ensuing battle. Goofy pulled out his shield and ran in front of Jane, shielding her from the oncoming attack. He looked at Jane and smiled goofily.

"Don't worry," he told her reassuringly. "They can handle this on their own."

"What _are _those things?" Jane asked him, panicked. "I've never seen _anything _like that before!"

Goofy thought for a moment about how to explain. Eventually he changed his mind and shook his head from side to side. "I dunno _what _they are," he said calmly. "But Donald, Sora, and Tarzan can fight 'em off, no problem!"

Without enough time to cast a spell, Donald slid to the side in a dodge and bashed the Heartless over the head with his staff. Then, focusing, he shot out a beam of ice at the Power Wilds and spun around in place so that the beam covered a greater area.

Tarzan exploded into action, bounding forward and swinging his spear dangerously, slicing through the Heartless easily, making his way toward Clayton. Meanwhile, Sora had blocked the charge of the Heartless with the side of his Keyblade and pushed the monster away before following Tarzan's example and running headlong into battle, his weapon flashing in the dim light.

"Donald!" Sora yelled. "Cover us!"

Wordlessly, the court wizard turned his sights on whatever Heartless managed to survive Tarzan and Sora's blitz. He took in a deep breath before casting Blizzard again, freezing the Heartless in place, turning them into blocks of solid ice. He yelled out excitedly in his duck voice as he shot all of the Power Wilds in one long blast.

Goofy peered over the top of his shield to see what was happening. He smiled slightly and looked back at Jane. "I told you they'd be fine!" he said cheerily.

Tarzan jumped at a Heartless that had been creeping up behind Sora and pinned it to the floor before taking the tip of his spear and driving it into the creature's chest area. Sora glanced over his shoulder at Tarzan and grinned gratefully. Tarzan nodded in response and jumped back to his feet, putting his back against Sora's as they spun around in place, looking around carefully. The group of Heartless had most definitely shrunk in number, but there were still enough to surround them.

The gorillas continued to shriek and scream, jumping slightly in place as they watched. Kala looked out over the battlefield, her eyes wide with worry for her adopted son. But she wasn't the only one. Jane looked out toward the battle and bit down on her lower lip. She took in a deep breath, wincing as though something pained her in her chest.

"TARZAN!"

Upon hearing Jane's worried cry, Donald looked over at Sora and Tarzan. He grumbled angrily under his breath, cursing the Heartless. He then immediately cast a Thunder spell over the Heartless that were surrounding them and managed to defeat several of them. He then waddled hurriedly toward them and began to jump up and down, wailing loudly as to be heard over the screaming of the gorillas.

"Sora! Tarzan! Get Clayton!"

Both Tarzan and Sora then looked around them quickly, their eyes scanning the area for where Clayton was. Then Sora found him. Clayton was standing on one of the smaller raised cliffs, examining his shotgun calmly, only looking out over the battlefield every so often. Sora clenched his teeth together.

"Got him," he told Tarzan before breaking away from him.

Tarzan gritted his teeth and bounded forward, swinging his spear in wide arcs and moving so quickly that it became difficult to keep up with him. As soon as Clayton turned his eyes away from the battle again, Sora made his move, knocking another Heartless to the side and making his way discreetly toward him, staying close tothe high dirt and stone walls.

By then, Clayton seemed to have grown bored with watching the fight and raised his shotgun, taking aim at Donald. He gripped the gun with both hands as he aimed. Slowly, he began to pull the trigger. A low, malicious chuckle escaped from his throat. Then suddenly, Sora was right next to Clayton, his gloved hands cupped around his mouth.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He had yelled so loud into Clayton's ear that the barrel of the shotgun was raised toward the sky as Clayton jumped in alarm. His finger squeezed the trigger and the sound of the gunshot resounded in the jungle air. The gorillas howled in alarm as the loud sound echoed in the sky. The hunter then immediately spun around and aimed the gun at Sora. But Sora didn't budge an inch. They merely glared at each other for a long, drawn out moment. The sounds of the gorillas yelling and the ongoing battle could still be heard, but to Sora it felt distant. Besides, it sounded to him like Tarzan and Donald had taken control of the flow of battle.

"What are you _doing_?" Sora demanded angrily.

The hunter didn't answer. His eyes were hard and focused, and seemed to be void of emotion. Sora had never seen anything like it before.

"_Clayton! _What's _wrong _with you?"

As Tarzan and Donald finished off the last of the Heartless, they looked up to where Sora and Clayton were facing off. All of the gorillas turned their attention there, falling silent as they looked on worriedly. Tarzan stepped forward. Even from where he was standing, he could see every movement that Clayton made. The hunter was preparing to fire at Sora.

"Sora!"

With a loud, frustrated, incoherent yell, Donald pointed the tip of his staff at Clayton's shotgun and blasted a fireball at it. The fire struck the metal of the gun, heating it up and turning it red hot in the hunter's clutches. With a howl of pain, Clayton dropped the shotgun to the floor. Sora immediately kicked the gun away, sending it flying to the other side of the area. It tumbled to the ground and slid toward the high, steep wall, stopping right next to it. Sora stared at the gun for a while before finally turning his attention back on Clayton.

"Clayton… Come on. Enough already."

The British man glared at Sora for a moment before making a dash for his gun, jumping down from the small cliff and running toward it. Sora clenched his fists at his sides, frustrated, and followed Clayton to the lower levels. A low chanting came from the gorillas in the trees as Sora raced to catch up with the hunter. He continued to call to Clayton in an attempt to stop him without a fight. Tarzan came forward and took Sora by the shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. Sora looked up at Tarzan in shock.

"Tarzan, let me go! We gotta help Clayton! There's something wrong with him!"

"Sora stop," Tarzan said firmly. "Ee ooh, oo ooh ah… Not Clayton!"

He released Sora and put one hand over his heart, thumping his chest lightly. Sora tilted his head to one side, confused. "Ee ooh… oo ooh ah?" he repeated.

Tarzan nodded and stepped slightly away. Meanwhile, having reached his shotgun, Clayton scooped it into his grip, spun around, and aimed the barrel at Sora, preparing to fire. Upon hearing the clicking sound the gun being cocked, everyone turned around to look at Clayton. Sora took a deep breath and swallowed hard, getting into a fighting stance with the Keyblade and standing his ground. Then suddenly, Clayton raised his head slightly, then pulled the gun away and rested it on his shoulder as though he had changed his mind about his decision.

For a moment, Sora was overjoyed that Clayton had stopped. He was about to put the Keyblade away and open his mouth to speak, when the large stone wall immediately behind Clayton exploded as though dynamite had been set on the other side, large chunks of dirt and rock flying out in all directions. The entire wall was gone in a moment, save a chunk at the top that had survived, protruding precariously to a different cliff side with nothing underneath it for support.

A loud, moaning roar could be heard from within the cloud of dust, but as soon as the dust had settled, there was nothing to be seen. Only more of the jungle and Clayton could be seen standing there. Tarzan clenched his teeth together before making a vicious charge forward, running at Clayton with his spear held tightly in his hand. He was then suddenly struck by something and sent flying backwards by some invisible force. Sora gasped in shock and alarm as the man's figure flew right past him and landed in a roll a few feet behind where he stood. Tarzan growled in pain as he tried to get up.

The gorillas screamed and roared in disapproval, pounding their fists on the closest flat surface that they could, hopping around in place with their teeth bared as they howled.

"_TARZAN_!" Jane screamed in horror.

Jane then vainly tried to shake herself free from Goofy without much success. The guard dog held her fast by the shoulders with both hands.

"Please let me go!"

"Just _believe _in them, Miss Jane," Goofy told her calmly. "They'll be fine!"

Sora moved slightly toward Tarzan and was just about to help him up when he heard the clicking sound of a shotgun being reloaded, followed by the most unusual animal noise that Sora had ever heard. He stood, frozen for a moment, his mind racing. Sora then turned around slowly, part of him scared to see what Clayton was up to this time. His eyes widened in disbelief.

It seemed to him that Clayton was floating. He seemed to be straddling some kind of large, invisible creature. The monster made a strange, high pitched warbling noise as it straightened, Clayton sitting on its back with his shotgun aimed at Sora.

Sora swallowed hard, standing his ground. His eyes darted around as his mind raced to think of what to do next. And just as the hunter began to squeeze the trigger, Sora knew what to do. He threw the Keyblade at the shotgun with all his might, knocking it out of Clayton's hands. The Keyblade then turned in the air like a boomerang, flying back into Sora's right hand.

All of the gorillas cheered loudly at Sora's small victory. Tarzan looked up into the trees at the gorillas before joining Donald and staring at Sora in awe. They exchanged amazed looks. Even Goofy and Jane had been impressed, their jaws dropping open slightly.

As Sora caught his weapon he quickly turned to Donald and Tarzan.

"Donald! Help Tarzan!"

Donald nodded, opened up a new bottle of Hi-Potion and offered it to Tarzan. He shook his head slightly as the jungle man took it into his hands and began to drink it quickly. This was his last Hi-Potion. He was going to need to restock soon.

Without really knowing what he was doing, Sora charged headlong into battle and began to slash at whatever it was that Clayton was sitting on. He wasn't even sure if there was anything there at all.

"Sora!" Jane called urgently from where she was standing. "Do you see where the air is distorted? It looks like ripples in the atmosphere!"

Sora glanced back at Jane for a moment, confused, and then turned back around to look up at where Clayton was floating. He continued to charge forward and as he got closer, he was able to see what Jane had been talking about. Sora swung the Keyblade, not sure of how far away he was from whatever was there. When that attempt failed, he merely tried again, moving forward and adjusting his grip.

"Tarzan!" he called back. "See where the air looks funny?"

The jungle man bounded forward, tossing the Hi-Potion bottle to one side and taking his spear into both hands. His eyes darted around until he caught sight of what Sora was referring to.

"Yes!"

"HIT IT! I have no idea _what _it is, but we gotta hit it!"

As Tarzan and Sora began to swing their weapons blindly and viciously at the invisible creature, Donald pointed the tip of his staff at the distorted air right beneath Clayton's legs. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing, and then shot out a beam of ice.

"BLIZZARD!"

As soon as the beam struck, it created a patch of ice over what it had struck, making a small part of the creature visible. Donald praised himself inwardly as the gorillas cheered loudly at this small accomplishment. Sora looked up at the small patch of ice, turning it into his new target, and jumped up into the air, swinging the Keyblade so that it hit the monster.

The gorillas' cheering grew in volume and hype. A loud, angry roar resonated throughout the area as it took Sora's blow. A loud thud was heard, and Sora could only assume that it meant the monster had stumbled slightly backwards. The ground shook violently, and a small chunk of dirt and rock had fallen from above and hit Sora on the top of his head. He looked up to see where it had come from, only to find that he was standing directly under the chunk of the wall that had managed to survive the previous explosion, jutting out precariously from the side of the cliff. Sora grinned as he came up with an idea. He spun around.

"DONALD!" he yelled.

The duck shot a slightly annoyed glance in Sora's direction. "What?" he quacked.

"Keep shooting it with ice!" he ordered. Sora then turned to Tarzan. "Tarzan, I need you to hit the monster thing wherever you see frost and ice! Push it over to this wall!" Sora pointed at the wall that the large chunk of rock was clinging to.

Both Donald and Tarzan nodded as they understood what was asked of them and followed their orders. Sora then put the Keyblade away and headed for the wall. He searched the side of the wall frantically for a way up – hand holds, foot holds, vines, plants, roots, anything that he could use to pull himself up.

Tarzan, seeing that Sora was having a hard time, called up to one of the gorillas. Almost immediately, Terk herself grabbed a vine and threw one end of it down to Sora. The boy grabbed the vine and began to hurriedly scale the side of the wall like a mountain climber, pulling his weight with his arms and using his feet to "walk" up the rocks.

Goofy watched Sora intently, confused. "What's he doin'?"

A knowing smile crossed Jane's face. "Oh, I see!" she breathed excitedly. "I think I know what he has planned!"

"Really?" Goofy asked her, scratching his head. "I don't get it."

As soon as Sora reached the top of the wall, he clambered onto the rock and let out a breath. He waved back at Terk with a grateful smile on his face before returning his attention to the task he had set before him. Sora crawled over what was left of the wall until he was hanging onto the precariously hanging chunk of dirt and rock. He peered over the edge and swallowed. It was higher up than he had thought.

Meanwhile, Donald and Tarzan were pushing the monster toward where Sora had instructed. Donald was releasing flurries of Blizzard attacks, an Ether bottle in one hand as he took in large swigs of it to reenergize himself. Tarzan was an explosion of activity, swinging his spear to hit every spot that Donald froze and knocking the creature towards the corner of the wall.

It happened not long after Sora had reached the precariously hanging portion of the wall. Just moments after Sora had nervously peered over the edge the monster hit the corner of the wall. Sora yelled in alarm as the rock jolted violently, a large crack appearing across its surface.

All of the gorillas that were watching fell silent at the cracking sound of the breaking rock.

Jane drew in a sharp breath. "There… It's started to break."

Sucking in his courage, Sora slowly rose to his feet, holding his arms out to the sides to maintain his balance. Goofy, Tarzan, and Donald all gasped loudly in shock. Jane bit down on her lower lip as she watched, her heart racing.

"Sora, what're you doin'?" Donald quacked frantically.

The Key Bearer looked over at Donald and then at Goofy, a smile crossing his face. "Just trust me on this!"

Tarzan moved forward slightly, his eyes wide, before hesitantly taking another swing at the monster so that it would stay in place. Even Clayton had twisted himself around so that he could see what was going on. Sora jumped into the air and landed forcefully back onto the rock. The large crack spread from one side of the ledge to the other, the whole thing jolting violently. The gorillas watched from their positions in the trees and cliffs, their eyes wide, unsure of whether they should be howling or be silent. Jane practically jumped forward in concern.

"Sora! Be careful!"

"SORA!"

Mustering up some more courage, Sora took in another deep breath and jumped again. This time, the entire rock broke off from the wall that it had been hanging onto. The entire slab fell on top of the invisible creature, just missing Clayton who had leapt off of the monster and tumbled painfully to the dirt floor. Sora stayed on top of the slab of rock as it fell, jumping off only when he felt it land on the monster. He had leapt back toward the wall that he had scaled, grabbing hold of the vine that Terk was still hanging onto. The side of his body crashed painfully against the side of the wall. He then slowly allowed himself to slide down the vine as he watched what happened next.

What seemed like a field of electricity had appeared around the monster. Strings of energy flitted across the surface of the beast's body. An image began to flicker, the camouflage effect on the monster's skin fading. And everyone saw at last what the monster truly looked like.

It was like a giant horned chameleon. Its skin was covered in an army camouflage pattern, except for its underside which was a creamy off white color. There were small, sharp razors protruding from its backside, starting from just behind the neck and stopping as it reached the long, coiled up tail. Its eyes were like two yellow orbs protruding from the sides of its head, with small black dots in the centers. The eyes seemed independent of each other, looking in all directions. There was a large, sharp horn jutting out dangerously from the chameleon's snout. The monster stood on its hind legs, but was hunched over, making it difficult to tell how tall it was. A large symbol of a black heart with two red, jagged lines crossing over it in an "x" could be seen on the creature's chest.

Sora took in a deep breath through his nostrils when he saw the symbol. He had seen the symbol many times before, on the chests of the Soldiers and the Power Wilds.

"It's a Heartless."

The chameleon Heartless collapsed with a loud thud, the slab of rock and dirt crumbling into smaller pieces and burying the monster's upper torso. It groaned and warbled in defeat, looking up slightly at Sora and extending a hand toward him. Sora jumped away from its reach, pulling out the Keyblade just in case it was still able to stand. He then moved away from it and joined Tarzan and Donald, keeping his eyes on the chameleon.

"Stealthy, sneaky, mean Heartless… _thing_," he grumbled under his breath.

"_Blast_!"

Everyone turned around in time to see Clayton, his gun back in his grasp, with the barrel pointed straight at Sora's heart. Sora groaned, annoyed. Why was everyone always aiming for _him_!

A malevolent grin appeared on Clayton's face. "Goodbye, boy."

Just as Clayton was about to pull the trigger, Donald made a charge at him, knocking Clayton to the side in a ram and then striking the man's right side angrily with his staff.

"_NO_!" he yelled fiercely as he pushed Clayton away. "Leave him alone!"

Sora's eyes went wide in surprise. "Donald…?"

Clayton fell back, clutching his right side in pain. He winced at his injury, holding his shotgun in one hand with the barrel pointed to the floor. He glared angrily at Sora and Tarzan with his lips pressed together in a straight line, taking deep breaths through his nose. Clayton then grinned maliciously, a crazy glimmer in his eyes as he raised his gun once again and took aim.

"Mr. Clayton," Jane said softly in disbelief, covering her mouth with one hand. "What in the world happened to you?"

Donald stamped one webbed foot angrily on the floor. "This guy doesn't know when he's beat!" he roared angrily before stomping toward him. "_I'll _teach you to…"

Tarzan stopped Donald in his tracks, clasping one hand firmly around Donald's arm. "No!" He then gestured for Donald to look behind Clayton.

The giant chameleon could be seen behind the hunter, slowly rising to its hind legs, the dirt and rock falling off of its body. It began to shimmer and glow, strings of what looked like electricity flying over the surface of its scaly skin. The camouflage effect on its body flickered on and off; one moment it was invisible, the next it was visible once more. Its entire body was shaking violently as it tried to stand, its eyes rolling upward and looking toward the sky. Ever so slowly, Clayton dropped his shotgun and turned around to look at it.

From above, the gorillas began to chant; a series of loud, synchronized grunting noises that became faster and faster and louder and louder as they continued. All eyes were fixated on the scene laid out before them.

The Heartless chameleon dropped its gaze and stared at Clayton, its vision blurred as it took a few steps toward him. The monster groaned and warbled wearily, as its hind legs slowly gave in to its exhaustion. Clayton howled in horror as the chameleon's gargantuan body fell on top of the hunter, crushing the British man beneath it. The ground shook violently with the impact, and Sora winced slightly, as though it pained him physically to watch. He took in a deep, pained breath.

For a while, everything was still. Clayton lay underneath the body of the giant, defeated chameleon, all eyes locked on them as though expecting something to happen. Then a small part of the body of the Heartless began to glimmer with a bright light. Rays of white light pierced through the body and glowed brilliantly as a large, glowing heart emerged from within the chameleon and began to drift skyward. The chameleon's body shone brilliantly before slowly fading away, a series of small, twinkling lights winking out one by one.

The gorillas moved forward slightly, their eyes wide in awe as they looked at the small group of heroes that stood a few feet away from where the Stealth Sneak had vanished. Sora and the others looked up at them all, somewhat nervous, not knowing what to expect. Goofy and Jane moved to rejoin the others, their eyes turned upwards to look at the gorillas that had surrounded them.

For a long while, the gorillas remained silent. Then suddenly, they all burst out in a loud cheer, howls of victory and pride echoing up from within their bodies and soaring out over the jungle. They whooped and cheered and thumped their fists on the ground in explosive celebration.

An excited smile crossed Jane's face. "This is _extraordinary_!"

Tarzan looked over at the others, a proud smile on his face. "They say…"

"It's okay, Tarzan," Sora told him with a slight laugh. "I think I know."

Kerchak and Kala had been watching the battle from above, just like the other gorillas had been. Kala's chest swelled with pride. The other gorillas fell silent as Kerchak came toward them slowly, Kala and Terk following on either side of him. They came to a halt about a foot away from them. Kerchak then placed one of his massive hands on Sora's shoulder.

"H-Huh?" The boy's eyes went wide, his gaze going from Kerchak's hand to the silverback's face and then back to the hand. He swallowed nervously. What was going on? What was he going to do? He turned to Tarzan. "Okay, what's going on _now_?"

The gorilla's large fingers then closed around Sora's shoulder, and the boy was lifted off the ground. Kerchak stared into Sora's face for a moment, bringing him closer to his eyes, and then reared his arm back and tossed Sora straight into the air. Sora couldn't help but scream, not quite knowing what had just happened or why he had been thrown sky high. He felt like he was going to touch the clouds until his body slowed down and he found himself heading back to the earth. He clenched his teeth together and braced himself for a rough landing as he found himself falling head first.

He hit the ground with a loud thud, bouncing slightly, all the wind knocked out of his lungs. Sora sucked in air between his teeth as he slowly rolled onto his back. He groaned in pain. Donald and Goofy soon followed, Donald landing in the same fashion that Sora had and Goofy hitting the ground butt-first. Donald groaned and shook his head from side to side as Goofy whimpered slightly, rubbing his bottom in an attempt to ease the pain.

"Oww…"

Tarzan climbed up to where they had been tossed using the growth of vegetation on the side of the cliff and looked over at his new friends in concern. Jane backed away from Kerchak and the other gorillas quickly, her eyes turned downwards, and then buried her face in the thick green foliage on the cliff.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy moved to the edge of the small cliff and looked down at where the gorillas were. The gorillas stared up at them solemnly for a long, silent moment, Tarzan returning their stern looks. Kerchak then nodded at the other gorillas and turned, lumbering back into the forest. Slowly, the rest of them turned and followed their leader. All of them, that is, except for Terk. Terk looked up at Tarzan proudly for a long while before climbing up to join them. Tarzan extended a hand toward Jane and pulled her up to the top to rejoin the others. The young woman rose to her full height and dusted herself off.

"Well, _that _was exciting."

They had ended up on a plateau overlooking a wide, blue river. There was no point in swimming across it, as neither side of the river had bank to clamber up onto. It merely wound its way deeper into the jungle, with large cliffs on either side of it. There were two large, roaring waterfalls to the left, separated by a portion of protruding cliff. The tops of waterfalls were covered in rich green foliage and vines. The water turned a foamy white as it tumbled from the top of the cliff and plunged into the deep still blue of the river. There was a fine mist floating around the waterfalls until it diminished into the air.

"This is _beautiful_," Jane breathed as she took in the scenery.

"You can say _that _again," Sora agreed.

Tarzan shut his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose as he faced the area. He then glanced over at the others. "Tarzan, home."

Jane looked at Tarzan in surprise. "This is… Your home?"

The jungle man nodded firmly and then smiled. "Follow me."

He turned on his heel and led the group into a cavern tunnel that Sora had overlooked. It seemed to lead toward a place that was right behind the waterfalls. The entire right side of the cavern was slightly open, so they could peer out from within the cliff at the beautiful scenery. By the time they got to be directly behind the waterfalls, the wall was completely opened up, and the cave expanded from a narrow tunnel into a large cavern. Everything was tinted blue; the rocks, the moss, and even _they _had been draped in a blue tint.

The waterfalls roared in their ears as the water spilled onto the already wet cavern floor. They had to be careful where they stepped lest they slip on a patch of moss and get caught in the waterfalls themselves. There was even water gushing out from cracks in the rock walls, creating smaller, less malevolent waterfalls as they tumbled over the layers of rock. All of the water eventually spilled out into the main waterfall.

Tarzan led the way, holding Jane's hand as they climbed up the layers of rock carefully, making their way to the top. They had to jump up to reach some of the ledges, or press their backs to the wall as they slowly shuffled along a smaller ledge. They were lucky that there were several patches of ivy that they could use to climb along. The only downside to that was the fact that these growths of ivy were situated in high places with nothing soft below them.

What struck Tarzan and Sora as interesting about their climb was that most of the complaining and whining hadn't come from Jane, the only girl among them (not counting Terk). It had, in fact, come from Donald.

Once they had reached the top, Tarzan led everyone deeper into the cavern. They walked through a long, dark tunnel that had a small glimmer of light at the very end. That's where they were headed. They hurried through the darkness to reach that light. And that light was within another beautiful cavern.

This new cavern was, for the most part, a circular area. It was closed off by layer upon layer of moss grown slabs of stone. There was a large tree protruding from the side, straight ahead of them. Its surface was completely covered in moss and vines, making it seem like the tree's bark was green colored. In a spot just over the tree's roots was a bright blue light. The light seemed to be alive, glowing brilliantly for a moment and then fading ever so slightly, as though it were breathing. It was almost like it was beating, like a heart.

They entered the cavern carefully, glancing around their surroundings in awe of its simplistic, primitive beauty. What had Sora hooked, however, was the ebbing blue light on the tree. Sora stared at it, captivated, unable to explain to anyone, not even himself, why. Tarzan was staring at it as well.

"Ee ooh, oo ooh ah," he said, slowly.

Sora glanced at Tarzan. "This is your _home_?" he asked, confused. "But that means…"

Tarzan straightened himself slightly and raised one hand in the air, a gesture for Sora to be quiet, and then cupped one hand over his ear and slowly shut his eyes. Everyone fell silent and listened, straining their ears to hear whatever it was that Tarzan was listening to.

A faint rumbling noise could be heard, echoing through the caverns. The sound was bouncing off of the rocks and stones, whisking gently through the air until it reached someone's ears. Goofy gasped softly as he listened, surprised to hear the noise. He was even more surprised to find that he could recognize the sound.

"Huh?"

Jane smiled slightly, amazed. "The waterfalls... They're echoing all the way _here._"

"Ee ooh, oo ooh ah," Tarzan said again. "Friends there. See friends."

"Oh, _now _I've got it," Jane laughed. " 'Ee ooh, oo ooh ah' means '_heart_'. Friends in our hearts…"

Tarzan glanced at Jane and then strained his throat to copy her. "Huh… Heart…"

Sora's gaze dropped sadly. A small frown had replaced his usually cheery smile.

"Oh," he murmured sadly. "So _that's _what it meant."

"Friends, same heart," Tarzan went on. "Clayton, lose heart. No heart, no see friends." His voice had then fallen into just over a whisper. "No heart… no friends."

Sora took in a deep breath and raised his eyes. He had to cheer up. So he hadn't been able to find Riku or Kairi yet. It was only a matter of time, right? He glanced over at the others. Terk was saying something to Tarzan that he seemed to be listening to very carefully, while Jane watched them in silent reverie. Goofy was simply staring at the blue light, while Donald seemed to be lost in thought. Sora put one hand over his heart, shut his eyes, and let out a breath. He was sure to find his friends soon. If what Tarzan had said was true, then his friends were right there in his heart. And it was important to have friends, and to never lose their friendship or trust.

Which reminded Sora about his fight with Donald. And just as Sora turned to look at Donald, Donald turned to face him. Sora chuckled slightly.

"Sorry about what I said."

Donald nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry too."

Goofy was overjoyed. He laughed cheerfully, pulling Donald and Sora into a group hug. "Ahyuk! Yeah! All for one, huh?"

They all then looked at the pulsating blue light. Sora stepped forward, entranced once again, and as he did so, he saw what the light was made of. It was a cluster of blue butterflies, all huddled together on the tree's trunk. They all seemed to be glowing as they flapped their wings slowly, their wings touching together for just a moment before they opened again, revealing the intricate blue design on the surface. It looked like there was a pair of round eyes staring out of the butterflies' wings.

Sora approached the tree trunk, stepping closer so that he was only about two feet away. Instantly, all of the butterflies dispersed, flapping their wings and fluttering away, up through the opening at the top of the cave to their freedom. Their wings were still glowing as they flew off, some of them circling Donald and Goofy, and others encircling Jane, Tarzan, and Terk. Sora stood very still as they flew away. Something within him knew what he was looking for.

Hidden beneath the cluster of beautiful blue butterflies was a keyhole, its edges glimmering a beautiful blue color. Sora smiled slightly, willing the Keyblade forward and raising it into the air, pointing it toward the center of the keyhole. His hand was immediately steadied as the Keyblade locked into place. The tip of the key began to glow brilliantly, bright streams of energy spiraling into its epicenter and compressing into the vessel. And once it was ready, a beam of blue light shot out of the tip of the Keyblade and struck the keyhole.

Upon impact, a series of intricate patterns began to appear on the surface of the tree, glowing a light blue color as it spread out. It started from just around the keyhole and spread until it had encompassed a large portion of the tree trunk. Twinkles of blue light were magnetized immediately toward the keyhole, moving into it quickly. And as all of the blue lights began to fade, a loud clicking noise was heard, and the keyhole turned into twinkles of light and winked out.

It was only then that something fell to the floor. Donald and Goofy leaned forward to look at it. It was a small diamond shaped Gummi block, colored in shades of yellow and green. It was rounded on one side and shimmered brilliantly for just one moment. As Goofy stared at it, he realized that it looked somewhat familiar.

"A Gummi!" Donald exclaimed.

"But it's sure not the king's," Goofy said sadly.

Donald hung his head for a moment before reaching down and picking it up. He tucked the Gummi block away and sighed heavily. He hadn't noticed that Terk had made her way toward him. Donald quacked in surprise when he saw her standing right next to her. The young gorilla nudged Donald gently in the side and smiled at him. The duck was confused.

Jane laughed softly. "I think somebody has a new admirer," she said teasingly.

Donald jumped in alarm. "Huh?"

Tarzan smiled at Terk, giving her an approving nod, and laughed. Terk returned the smile at Tarzan before continuing to stare contentedly at Donald. The court wizard looked wide-eyed at Terk, then at Sora, Goofy, Tarzan, and Jane. He shook his head vigorously from side to side and waved his hands frantically in the air in front of him as a gesture of refusal.

"No, no, no, _no_!" he quacked in protest. "Daisy would _kill _me!"

Everyone burst out into laughter, Goofy releasing a few rounds of his trademark chuckle. Donald let out a long, frustrated breath before pulling his cap over his eyes. He sank to the floor and moaned.

* * *

The room was very dimly lit; the only source of light around came from a skylight in the high, arched ceiling. What little of it was cast was just enough to create outlines on the many gold and stone statues in the room. Statues of gargoyles and wild beasts could be seen in the hallway, looking as though they were standing guard, making sure that no one entered the chapel and disturbed the meeting. The emblem of the Heartless was engraved on the wall behind them, in a place that would usually contain the statue of some goddess or other sacred being. 

A select few had been called to gather in the chapel around the table, their faces shrouded in shadow as they glared maliciously at the hologram before them. They stood for a long while in silence, the hologram disappearing from in front of them. Then at last, one of them spoke up, stabbing the stone floor with the tip of his long, golden staff.

"What drew the Heartless to that world?" he hissed, his attention to their leader.

Their leader stepped forward, into the dimmed circle of pale light so that she could be seen. The orb on the tip of her staff glimmered green in the half light, and her pale face lit up like the moon on a cold night. Her eyes glowed a sickly green color as she surveyed her colleagues before she even dared to answer the question.

"The _hunter _lured them there," she told them, her voice calm and steady. "It was his lust for _power _that was the bait. But it seems the bait was too tasty for his own good."

A mysterious, wicked smile played on her dark lips. One of her followers cackled; a maliciously cheery bubbling of laughter that could chill anyone to the bone.

"Yeah!" he said excitedly when he had finished cackling. "_He_ got _chomped _instead!"

The other follower stepped forward slowly, into the dim circle of light. His long face was drawn into a look of superiority, his thinly bearded chin raised in the air. He wore on the top of his head a large black turban which had a red jewel embedded in the front, just above his forehead. From the jewel was a vertical red streak and two yellow lines that was drawn across the entire length of the turban. A red cloth protruded from the bottom of the turban and cascaded onto his shoulders, over the black tunic that was so long it reached the floor. Only his wickedly curved red shoes could be seen emerging from beneath the tunic. He had a long cape over him that was black on the outside and red on the inside. His arms were encased in baggy sleeves that had black clasps at his thin wrists.

In his left hand was a long golden staff, the top of which was shaped like the head of a cobra. He raised it slightly as he walked so that it wouldn't be dragged across the stone floor. He glared at the previous speaker, his upper lip curled in a sneer, and then looked back at their leader.

The man's entire presence was akin to that of a snake.

"A weak-hearted _fool _like him stood _no chance _against the Heartless," he said disdainfully. Then his tone became angry and firm. "But the _boy _is a problem. He found another one of the _Keyholes_."

The leader shut her eyes and took in an even breath. The smile remained on her lips.

"Fear not," she said confidently. "It will take him _ages _to find the rest."

She cast her eyes downward so that she was staring at the table. In a glimmer of red and green lights, another hologram appeared, this time showing the Key Bearer and his two companions sent by their king. They were doing naught else but walking through the jungle. They appeared to be in a state of contentment, at which everyone in the room snarled at.

For a moment, everyone merely glared at the hologram. Then the leader raised her eyes slightly, the disdain and annoyance washing from her expression as she came up with a comforting thought. Her wicked smile returned to her face.

"Besides," she continued, "he remains blissfully unaware of our _other _plan."

Someone else in the room spoke up, her voice bubbling in the confidence that she had taken comfort in from the leader. A gleeful smile played across her lips, a bubbling cackle threatening to explode from within her.

"Yes, the princesses..."

The leader's eyes grew wide in excitement. "They are falling into our hands, one by one."

She raised one hand into the air and mimed the action of pulling back a curtain. She glanced slightly over her shoulder. A young girl in a light blue dress and a white apron was magically pulled out of the shadow and into the dim light. She staggered forward, her thick blonde locks cascading over her shoulders. Her blue eyes darted around as she looked about her, frightened, clasping her hands together.

Alice.

Their evil leader smiled. "Speaking of which..."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wooh... Crazy chapter that was very difficult to translate. I'm starting to figure out how to novelize the boss fights, as in, not just whackin' 'em repeatedly with their weapons. So, yay.:D Uh, had to completely recreate that first part. Deep Jungle was gettin' too long. I couldn't be bothered to include a trip to the tent, then to that place up in the trees, fight a bunch of Power Wilds and bash open the "suspicious black fruit", talk to Jane and Terk, and _then _go and face Clayton... That'd be like, five to ten more pages... Argh... so long already... 

Please R&R:D


	15. The Chosen One

_**Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko**_

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Still happy to hear that people enjoy the story. :) I know it's long and tiring to read (i mean, _wow_, over 100,000 words already), but it's partially not my fault. Bridging scenes, characterization, explanations, descriptions... they all end up running longer than I'd like. I've tried to shorten them, but then they end up feeling too compressed and rushed. And putting in exact scenes from the movies and stuff ends up taking a lot of wordspace. I'm thinking maybe I should stop doing that... Sometimes I feel like I put too much effort into writing this, but I just have so much fun doing it. :D Just goes to show how crazy I am.

_**

* * *

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_**Chapter 14  
**__**The Chosen One**_

_Deep Jungle_

As soon as everything was finished, everyone had returned to the campground. Upon looking around the site, they decided almost immediately to fix it up. Sora, Donald, and Goofy got to work organizing the havoc that had been wreaked on the outside. They cleared out the broken glass and porcelain, putting it all into a large box and tucking it away someplace it would never get opened. They used the broken crates to restore some of the chests that had been broken, and put all of the books and papers that had been scattered across the ground into them. The furniture was lifted and moved back into place, and any articles of clothing that had fallen out were quickly replaced.

While the trio had gotten to work on that, Tarzan and Jane had worked on getting the tent restored to its former self. Jane was the one to teach Tarzan what to do, and they were soon finished. They then busied themselves while waiting for the others to finish. They were done just before sunset, and everyone hustled into the tent to rejoin Tarzan and Jane. Both man and woman turned to look at them as they entered.

"Finished?" Jane asked, rising slowly from her chair.

All three of them nodded in unison.

"All the broken stuff's been put away," Goofy reported cheerily. "Now as long as nobody touches _that _box, nobody'll get hurt!"

"And we fixed whatever we could," continued Donald. "Like chests and some furniture."

"That's wonderful!" Jane said proudly, smiling. "I can't thank you enough for all that you've done here."

"No big deal," Sora said with a shrug. He exchanged glances and nods with his companions, then turned back to look at Tarzan and Jane. "Well," he continued, putting his hands into his pockets. "Guess we'd better get going."

"Where _is _your ship, anyway?" Jane wanted to know.

"Well, uh…" Donald cleared his throat and chuckled nervously. "Not too far."

Both Sora and Goofy glanced at Donald out of the corner of their eyes. Jane eyed them suspiciously for a moment, until Sora noticed and laughed lightly, putting his hands on the back of his head. Donald wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and let out a relieved breath.

Tarzan looked at Sora and smiled. "Sora, Tarzan, friends."

Sora grinned. "Sure are." He then outstretched one hand toward Tarzan. "Thanks, Tarzan. For everything."

The jungle man peered at Sora's hand curiously, confused. Jane chuckled softly before leaning in and explaining to Tarzan in a whisper what the gesture meant. As soon as Tarzan had learned, he stretched his hand outward. Sora took his hand in his and shook it firmly.

"We'll be seein' ya," Sora said with a smile as they all turned to leave.

"Oh, wait just a moment."

His attention caught, Sora slowly turned around to look at Jane. The young lady reached toward the armchair and pulled out something small that had been out of Sora's view. She looked to Tarzan, who rose slightly and moved to join her, and then, together, they walked toward Sora. The boy watched them expectantly the whole while.

"Here," said Jane.

She took Sora's hand and pressed something firmly into the palm of his hand. Jane smiled at him admiringly, stealing a glance toward Tarzan. Sora was surprised to see Tarzan's features soften as he looked first at Jane, and then at Sora.

"I think Tarzan has something to say," Jane said softly.

Tarzan rose to his full height, straightening his back, and took a full step forward. Sora saw for the first time just how tall Tarzan really was, and found himself craning his neck just to be able to see Tarzan's face. The gorilla man smiled at Sora, and then pointed at the item in Sora's hand.

"That," he told him gently, "is for you… to remember us." He then put one hand over Sora's heart. "But remember… that we will always… be _here_. In your… heart."

He then took his hand away and smiled at Sora. The boy stood stunned for a moment, his mind wandering and lost, until finally the sounds of Donald and Goofy calling his name guided him back to reality. He shook his head from side to side and then smiled at Tarzan and Jane.

"Don't worry," he told them confidently. "I'll never forget you guys. I promise."

* * *

They had all returned to the Gummi ship, which had somehow been concealed in the thick of the jungle, in spite of its bright red color. And after everyone had received a right good scolding from Chip about handling the ship and leaving them behind in the middle of a jungle, Donald and the chipmunks had set to work immediately on getting the ship started up. Jiminy had jumped onto Goofy's head, asking him all manner of questions about what had happened. As for Sora, the boy merely seated himself in his seat in the cockpit and pulled out the gift that he had just received.

The item that Jane and Tarzan had given him was some kind of intricately carved keychain. It was carved in the form of a small, beautiful butterfly. It vaguely resembled the kind of butterflies that they had seen in the cave. Its beautiful wings were carved with enough detail to distinguish the upper half of the wing from the bottom with a slightly raised line across its surface. In the center of the upper wings on each side were perfectly round holes, similarly to the round eye shape that adorned the pattern on the wings of the real butterfly. The carving was colored mostly in a cobalt blue, except for the tips of the wings which glimmered bright orange. There was a thin loop protruding from the top of the butterfly's head in the fashion of antennae, which had a thin strip of a green vine dangling from it. At the other end of the vine was a metal clasp.

Sora peered at the keychain curiously, examining it from all sides and admiring the intricate carvings. It couldn't have been easy to carve something so beautiful. He leaned back in his seat on the ship as he fiddled with it between his fingers while waiting for it to be time to leave.

Goofy glanced over at Sora as Jiminy furiously wrote down his notes in his little booklet.

"What'd they give ya, Sora?" he asked him, crossing from one side of the cockpit to the other.

The Key Bearer looked up at Goofy and held out the keychain for him to see. "It's some kinda keychain." He chuckled slightly. "It's… kind of a weird parting gift, but they really put a _lot _of effort into carving it."

Goofy looked at the keychain carefully and then smiled. "You're right," he said with a laugh. "It sure is _purty_."

Jiminy's head snapped up suddenly, his pen having finally stopped moving, and looked around. When he saw the keychain that Sora was holding up he jumped down from Goofy's hat onto his snout and walked along the length of it until he had almost reached Goofy's nose. He leaned forward and examined the keychain, pulling out a small pair of spectacles.

"This is some _fine_ craftsmanship!" he observed out loud. "Your friends are certainly good at what they do." He then leaned back and put his spectacles away. "You know something? I'll bet I know what you can use that keychain for."

Sora practically jumped out of his seat as he spun around to look at Jiminy, almost slipping out of the seat and dropping the keychain to the floor in the process. "_Really_? How? What?"

"Whoa, Sora, don't hurt yourself!" Goofy howled in concern.

The cricket blinked a few times, confused, before straightening himself and dusting off his suit jacket. "You said that your weapon looks something like a key, right?"

"Uh huh."

"And it has the king's emblem dangling on a chain from the top, right?"

"If by 'the king's emblem', you mean those three circles, then… yeah."

Jiminy nodded knowingly to himself. "Then if I'm right, you can remove _that _chain and attach this _new _keychain that you got from Jane and Tarzan."

Sora plopped back down into his seat as he thought it over. Jiminy's observation wasn't far off. In fact, it made complete sense. He then willed the Keyblade into his hands and examined it carefully. There, attached to the top of the handle, was the keychain that bore the king's emblem. Taking the new keychain into his other hand, he unclasped the old one and quickly replaced it with the new one. He grinned slightly, lifting the Keyblade in the air, and turned to look back at Jiminy.

"I guess when you're right, you're right!"

"Hey Sora, don't look now, but… looks like there's _more _to this keychain thing!"

Suddenly, the Keyblade began to glow and tremble in Sora's grasp. His head snapped back around to look at it, alarmed. The whole length of the Keyblade transformed. Crudely carved bone and ivory had replaced the metal length. Strips of leather that had been dyed a royal purple color in places were wrapped around the handle, more thickly around the area that Sora's hand would be grabbing. Bits of bone could be seen between the gaps of leather, including two sharpened points of bone jutting out of the handle in the direction of the tip of the Keyblade. A separate set of leather wrappings had been woven between the bone teeth of the key.

Sora's eyes went wide as the Keyblade stopped glowing and settled into its new form. Jiminy scratched the underside of his chin thoughtfully.

"Looks like every time you change the keychain, the Keyblade itself takes on a new appearance," he speculated. "Interesting. I should make a note of this."

Jiminy pulled out his notebook yet again and began to write in it, hopping down from Goofy's nose to the armrest of Sora's chair. He sat down and settled into a comfortable position as he took a few more notes on the relation between the keychain and the Keyblade itself.

"That's so awesome!" Sora yelled excitedly. "The Keyblade just gets cooler and cooler all the time!"

"And _you're_ the chosen one to be the Key Bearer!" Goofy added.

"Enough chattering," Donald quacked from the front. "We're about to take off, so quit gawkin' and sit down!"

Goofy turned slightly to look at Donald. "Aw, but..."

"No 'but's!" shrieked Chip from where he stood on the control panel. "Sit your carcass in that seat and get ready for take off!"

Both Goofy and Sora swallowed nervously and hustled back to their seats. Sora put the Keyblade away and strapped himself into his seat. Donald settled into his seat as the engines of the Gummi ship started up, humming and roaring loudly. The entire ship began to shake as it slowly lifted off the ground. Looking out the window meant staring out at a tornado of dead grass and fallen leaves that had formed around them. The Gummi ship rose from the ground and slowly made its way out of the jungle and into the sky. Donald then yanked at the wheel and, as quick as lightning, they vanished into the twilit sky.

Once they had breached the world's atmosphere, Donald relaxed, slouching into his chair with a loud sigh. Goofy was staring out the window, doing his best to find any constellations that he recognized amidst the sea of stars. Sora had slipped into a deep train of thought, his mind wandering lackadaisically over everything that had happened on their journey. They had been through so much already… Sora felt like he had learned a lot from being around Tarzan and Jane. His thoughts drifted again, and he remembered the other strange items that they had received since they set out. Namely, those strange Gummi blocks.

"The Gummi blocks that came out of those glowing keyholes," Sora murmured softly, thinking out loud. "They're not like the others. Wonder what they're used for."

Sure, Sora hadn't seen many Gummi blocks, apart from the ones that were already attached to the ship and those that Donald and Goofy had found in the jungle. Donald turned slightly so that he could see Sora. He then turned his attention back to the front and shrugged nonchalantly.

"I dunno."

Goofy looked over at Donald and smiled. "Maybe Leon'll know," he suggested brightly.

"Hmm... He might," the duck said thoughtfully. He glanced at Sora and Goofy. "Back to Traverse Town, then?"

Donald pulled at the steering wheel, making a sharp U-turn to start the journey back. A grin suddenly crossed Sora's face and he began to fumble around with his seatbelt. Having freed himself from his seat, he stood up and began to walk toward the control panel.

"_I _wanna be pilot!" he said eagerly.

As Sora began to reach out for the controls, Donald quacked loudly, jumping slightly in the air. He began to swat at Sora's hands furiously, trying to push him away and get Sora to stop.

"ACK! _NO_!"

The duck grabbed onto Sora's wrists and held them firmly, getting the boy to stop momentarily. He tried to switch from holding him with both hands to holding him with just one so that he could still drive the ship. But as soon as his grip on one wrist loosened, Sora wrenched himself free. Sora folded his arms stubbornly over his chest and tapped one foot on the floor, imitating Donald, before trying again. And again, Donald swatted his hands away.

"Hey, _stop _it!" he quacked.

"Oh, _come on_!" Sora protested. He then added with a slightly arrogant smile, "I'm the Keyblade master!"

Donald's head snapped around and he burned holes into Sora's face. His face turned slightly red with annoyance. "I don't care _who _you are!" he snapped. "_NO_!"

And as the argument went on, Goofy merely shook his head from side. He looked back out the window and sighed heavily. "Here we go again..."

_

* * *

__Traverse Town_

Everything had settled into a state of peace. The only things that could be heard were the soft hums of electricity as it powered the bright streetlights and the sound of ongoing conversation amongst the town folk. The population had, however, increased slightly, as more people found themselves suddenly without a world to call home.

Yuffie shoved open the front doors of the Accessory shop where Cid worked and stepped outside. She turned nimbly on her heel and waved back at Cid before the doors swung back shut.

"See ya, Mr. Highwind!"

Cid grinned and waved goodbye as the doors closed on her. Yuffie smiled cheerily and spun back around on her heel. She skipped down the steps, humming the Chocobo theme song softly to herself as she dashed nimbly across the street, slipping around and between the people on the street, making her way to the other side. As soon as she reached the other side of the district, the large doorway that led to the outside of town creaked open and a loud, almost explosive quacking noise erupted from the other side. Yuffie spun around in surprise and saw the most interesting thing she had seen in a long while.

The large doors had parted to reveal Sora, Donald, and Goofy walking haphazardly into the First District. Their clothes were charred, and each one of them smelled like smoke and soot. Goofy bore a dazed, slightly entertained and amused look on his face, but his eyes were wide in alarm. It was as though he had been so surprised and shocked that his expression had been frozen mid-laugh. Sora looked somewhat dazed and confused, and he seemed to be unable to walk in a straight line. The ends of his hair looked burnt to a crisp, as though he had jumped through a fire. As for Donald, Yuffie had never seen anybody look angrier in her entire life.

"Are you _blind_?" he was screaming at the top of his lungs. "You almost crashed us into a _meteorite _this time! What's _wrong _with you? That's _it_, Sora! You're _never _touchin' the controls again in _my lifetime_! _NEVER_!"

Sora nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to what Donald was saying. He peeled open his eyes and looked forward. Catching sight of Yuffie, Sora straightened slightly, opening his eyes, and ran a hand through his hair with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Uhh… we're back!"

Donald looked over at Yuffie and was about to yell something about Sora's incompetence when he was suddenly washed over with exhaustion. He found himself too tired to yell for another while. Yuffie looked at each of them in turn, somewhat confused, before giving them a small smile.

"Er… Okidoke?"

Goofy suddenly snapped out of his daze and looked at Yuffie, waving goofily in her direction. Sora started to dust himself off.

"By the way," Sora continued, "there's something we wanted to ask Leon. Know where he is, Yuffie?"

The young ninja put one finger thoughtfully on the side of her head. She tilted her head slightly to one side and pressed her lips together. She made a soft humming sound as she thought, the Chocobo song still drifting in her mind.

"Can't say for sure," Yuffie said at last, "but I'd say he's down in the waterways, training with his Gunblade again. You guys can go take a look, if you want."

Donald shook the dust and soot out of his feathers and then set to work on cleaning up Goofy, since the dog was far too busy being himself that he didn't realize he was covered in black soot. He glanced briefly at Yuffie and smiled.

"Okay. Which way to the waterways?"

Goofy chuckled slightly. What Donald said had rhymed.

Yuffie turned around so she could look out at the rest of the district and pointed in the direction of the Second District. "It's behind that inn that we took you to before, in Second District. It's a waterway, so it's easy to miss. Look around carefully."

"All right," Sora said confidently. "Thanks, Yuffie."

Just as they entered the rest of Traverse Town and had taken a few steps beyond where Yuffie was standing, she raised her voice slightly and opened her mouth to say more.

"Of course… you could always take the shortcut."

It was as though she had said the magic words. All three of them turned around at exactly the same time, in almost exactly the same manner. "Shortcut?"

Yuffie almost burst out laughing, but she _was _able to hold it back. "You could go through that little alleyway to the side of the Accessory shop." She pointed toward it with a slight grin.

Sora looked in the direction that she had pointed. He recognized that alley. And if he could remember right, that way led to a dead end. He looked back at Yuffie quizzically.

"But there's nothing there," Sora said. "It just leads..."

"Aha!" Yuffie interrupted, waving one finger up in the air and wagging it slowly from side to side. "Things aren't always what they seem."

"What?"

"Oh, come on, Sora! You're a smart kid, I'm sure you can figure it out on your own."

She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and quickly took her leave, darting back across the street stealthily without another word. Sora and the others watched her leave for a moment before turning to one another and shrugging helplessly. They then followed Yuffie's advice and walked down into the alley. It looked exactly as Sora had remembered. All of the trash was still neatly kept in its bin in the corner of the alley, the pile of crates still stacked exactly as they had been before.

Donald let out a loud, annoyed sigh as Goofy scratched the top of his head, confused. "There's nothing here."

"We can see that, Goofy," Donald told him sharply.

Sora walked a ways further into the alley, remembering everything that Yuffie said and taking it all into deep consideration. He looked about him more carefully this time, checking every single object he saw in the off chance that he could use it for something. He was starting to think that there was maybe a trick door somewhere, like a segment of wall that would open up when he touched it. And so he ran his fingers along the wall in case that was true.

"Hey Sora, what're ya doin'?" Goofy called after him.

"I'm looking for some kinda passageway."

"Passageway?" Donald scoffed at the idea. "Right. Like some part of the wall will just open up and lead us to the waterway."

"Actually," Sora said slowly, "that's exactly what I was thinking." An embarrassed chuckle escaped his throat as he looked over his shoulder at Donald.

"Oh, _brother_."

Sora merely grinned.

"How 'bout we just get to the other side of the wooden fence thingy?"

Goofy pointed at the wooden fence and looked at his companions quizzically. Sora turned slightly to look at the fence. Most dead end alleys ended with a brick wall. This one ended with a wooden fence. Sora dropped his hand and walked briskly toward the fence and scrutinized it for a moment. There was definitely more to be seen on the other side of it. Looking up, he was able to see the darkened sky and the tops of a few buildings. Sora pressed his hands against the wood and shoved. He could feel the wood bend under the pressure he had put on it. It seemed to be pretty weak.

"Yeah, Goofy, we'll just barge through the wood," Donald replied sarcastically.

"Yeah!" said Goofy excitedly.

Donald rolled his eyes. He was once again struck by the feeling of wanting to smack Goofy on the back of his head.

Sora spun around to look at the others. "I think that'd work, actually."

The duck quacked in alarm. "Wh-_What_?"

"Yeah! I think that if all three of us charged at the wall, we'd be able to knock down at least a _part _of it. And then we'd be able to go through the hole we make and get to the other side."

Donald was still skeptical of the idea, but Sora had looked pretty serious as he talked. With another heavy sigh, he conceded with a nod of his head. The Key Bearer smiled and then looked back at the wooden fence. He pressed his hands against the wood and shoved one more time before backing away from it. He stared at the fence for a little while longer before looking back at Donald and Goofy.

"Okay. Donald, I think you're gonna have to charge first."

"WAK! Why me?"

"Well… 'cause you're the smallest. We'll just hit it in order of smallest to biggest." The duck began to mutter incoherently under his breath. Sora ignored it. "You ready?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"

He backed up slightly so as to get a running start and took aim at a certain portion of the wall. Sora and Goofy moved quickly out of his way and positioned themselves behind Donald. Donald leaned forward, clenching his fists and snorting slightly through his nose. He kicked up some dirt behind him, like the bull in a bull fight, and then charged forward, wailing and screaming loudly. He ran as quickly as he could and crashed into the wooden fence, head first, with a loud thud. And no sooner had Donald discovered that he hadn't broken through the wood did Sora crash into Donald, shoving him back up against the planks of wood. Donald howled in pain and anger.

The planks moaned slightly as it bent under the increase of pressure. And not long after Sora had hit the fence came Goofy at full force. Donald was crushed once again beneath the increased weight. The wooden fence bent under the impact until it finally broke. The wood snapped into pieces, save a large portion where Donald had been shoved against. The large portion fell through, opening a large hole to the other side and taking all three of them down to the cement flooring with it.

The wind was practically knocked out of Donald's lungs as the weight of two other, taller beings was pressed on his back once again. Goofy did his best to cushion the blow by outstretching his arms toward the floor as he fell forward. He wasn't exactly successful, as his momentum did push down slightly on Sora's back. Sora groaned as he pulled himself up off of the ground, Goofy tumbling away. Almost immediately, Donald jumped to his feet and began shouting and yelling in an annoyed tone, since the words had become completely incomprehensible.

They had ended up in the corridor behind the Second District Inn that they had stayed at before, exactly as Yuffie had told them. There wasn't a soul in sight. The entire area looked exactly as it had during their last visit to Traverse Town, except for the fact that the mess they had left behind had been all cleaned up. The dim light coming from the nearby buildings was just barely enough to illuminate the corridor. Some of it was reflected off the surface of the shallow pools of water and dispersed haphazardly upon the high cement walls that surrounded the corridor.

One particular pool continued under the walls, slipping through a set of iron bars that had clearly been placed there to prevent anyone from entering. Too many young children could go missing that way. And as extra measure, both plots of water came with a large wooden caution sign in the shape of some kind of square person with its hands held out to both sides.

"Well, we're here," Goofy said with a chuckle. "What do we do _now_?"

Donald shrugged his shoulders before dusting himself off, shaking himself free of the feathers that had come loose after what had happened. On the other hand, Sora's attention had gone straight to the water. Yuffie had said Leon was in the waterways. And if there was any possible way to get through, that set of iron bars had to be it. Nothing else made sense.

"What do _you _think, Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora's mind snapped out of its trance.

"What're we gonna do _now_?"

Sora ran one gloved hand through his hair, glancing at Donald and Goofy, and then pointed toward the bars. "Leon… might've gone through _there_."

All eyes turned to the sewer entrance. Donald's eyes went wide and he turned back to Sora with a loud, stubborn stomp of his foot.

"We're _not _going through the _sewers_!"

"HEY!" Sora argued back. "Yuffie said that Leon's training in the waterways! Do you see any place _else _that can be described as a 'waterway'? Now come on!"

The court wizard opened and shut his beak several times, searching frantically for something to say. But there was nothing he could say against that. Sora marched dutifully toward his destination and jumped into the water. He made a face at the squishy feeling in his shoes. He suddenly wished he hadn't just done that. He swallowed his annoyance and turned to the others, gesturing for them to follow. Donald had given up (yet again, which he was _not _particularly pleased with), and both he and Goofy were quick to join Sora in the pool of water.

Sora bent down slightly and reached into the water, searching the bottom of the pool with his hands for some way to open the barred gate. He soon found a small metal spike inserted through a slot in the bottom of the gate, essentially nailing the iron bars to the ground. He then wrapped his fingers around it and lifted it, pulling the gate open wide. Sora took the spike and stuck it into the crack between the gate and the wall that stretched out above it, holding the gate open. Donald and Goofy both entered the passage before Sora, with Donald complaining under his breath about having to tread through a sewer.

As they emerged on the other side, Sora drew in a breath.

"Wow… Didn't think there'd be a cave like this in the city sewers…"

Goofy's eyes grew wide. "Ahyuk."

The passageway led deeper and deeper into a dark, mysterious cavern. The entire floor was covered in water, with the occasional boulder emerging above the surface. Above them, the ceiling was mostly flat, but every so often Sora managed to find a stalagmite or two, with water trickling down its length and plopping noisily into the waters below. They trudged slowly through the cavern, listening to the sounds of rippling water. It wasn't long before they began to notice that the water was getting deeper as they walked on. And soon enough, they found themselves up to their necks in the water, and were practically swimming through the dark cavern.

Eventually, the darkness began to lighten. A yellow light could be seen illuminating a small part of the cavern. And, accompanied by that light, were several new sounds – low voices that bounced slightly off of the walls, a high-pitched singing sound that the air made as something sliced through it, and the sound of metal clashing against rock. Sora propelled himself faster through the water, getting closer to the source. There was no doubt about it; that had to be Leon.

This area of the cavern was raised above the water, and was clearly used relatively often. There were two large torches lighting the place up with its flickering yellow firelight, placed on either side of a brightly colored stone entrance that had clearly been manmade. It was as though the underground part of a building in town had been exposed at this part of the secret cavern. Where the area wasn't surrounded by stone walls was water with a depth that ranged between just below the ankles to over the head. The shallower part of the water made a pathway to a beautifully painted mural of a night sky and a moon which was, in effect, a dead-end.

The warrior was moving viciously around, minding his footwork, his Gunblade raised with his hands gripped firmly on its hilt. His eyes were locked on an invisible foe in front of him. Leon raced at him, the Gunblade raised, and slashed in an upward diagonal movement. The opponent dodged and moved away. Then they both charged, his enemy spinning around to get more momentum. Leon blocked the attack and they both stood still for a moment, metal against metal.

They then pushed each other away and switched places, spinning around to face each other again. Leon ran at him and slashed vertically downwards. He missed. He tried a second time. His attack was deflected. Then a third time. His enemy dashed quickly forward, switching places with him again. Leon spun on the ball of his foot to face him. The opponent looked back at him, a mocking gleam in his eyes, and taunted Leon to try again with a challenging gesture of his hand. They went at each other once more, this time with the enemy leading. Leon dodged and deflected the attacks, ducking and jumping backwards and blocking with the length of the Gunblade, until there was an opening.

Leon then charged, raising the Gunblade and slashing horizontally with all his might, linking his attacks to make a single fluid movement of continuous swings. His enemy was bombarded with attacks, being pushed slightly backwards. Leon lifted his weapon high in the air and slashed vertically with all the strength he could muster. The enemy blocked it and used the opportunity to attack. Leon jumped back in a dodge, spun his weapon in one hand like a baton, and then charged, his free hand extended forward. The enemy's face twisted slightly in rage, one hand starting to glow as he began to use a spell. Leon halted his charge and jumped backward.

He drew in a deep breath, watching his invisible foe as he stood before him, a ghost, a shadow of a nightmare. Then suddenly, without any warning at all, the enemy came at him, weapon raised. Leon's eyes grew wide. He clenched his teeth, bracing himself. And then all he could see was the weapon slash at him downwards. The length of the blade gleamed in the dim light. The sharpened tip screamed through the air, connecting with his skin, raking across the flesh between his eyes. He felt like he had been pushed to the floor, dropping to his knees. It was a burning sort of pain that seared through his being, pushing out all of the other senses. His grip on the Gunblade tightened in rage. He could see his own blood on the floor, dripping into his eyes, pouring over his face…

"Leon,"Aerith whispered softly, growing frightened.

She clasped her hands together and bit down on her lower lip as she watched. Her eyes had followed every movement he made, as well as the intense, angry gaze that lingered in his eyes. But now it had gone too far. His eyes had clouded over like a man possessed.

"Please stop… Leon…!"

"Leon?"

He blinked and the image was gone, replaced bya short fourteen year old boy with spiked, sandy colored hair and blue eyes. Sora was dripping wet, from the soles of his sneakers to the tips of his hair. He stood there, just looking at Leon in silence. There was something different about him,but as his companions walked up to join him,his usualsmile crept onto his face.

"That was a pretty intense sparring match."

He clenched his teeth together and took in a deep breath through his nose. Sora had _no idea _just how intense it really was. If Aerith hadn't been right there, then Sora would've ended up with a scar just like Leon's. With a slight, relieved smile, Aerith grabbed one of the towels that Leon had brought down with him and walked over to Sora with it, rubbing Sora's hair and face dry.

"It looks like you three have been swimming in the sewers."

"Yeah," Donald said grouchily. "Thanks to _Sora_."

"Well, we didn't have much of a choice," Sora replied, his voice slightly muffled by the towel on his head. He then reached up and grabbed the towel, stopping Aerith from acting too much like a mother. "Yuffie said Leon would be here."

Everyone then turned to look at Leon.

Leon turned his eyes away, the scar between his eyes throbbing atthe reawakened memory. He put one hand over it for a moment as he rose to his feet. What he had imagined to be blood was just his own sweat. Leon wiped it away, somewhat frustrated. He turned and laid the Gunblade on the ground near the package of rice balls that he had brought. He then picked up his hand towel and wiped his face and neck with it. There was nothing Leon hated more than ghosts.

Sora exchanged nervous glances with Donald and Goofy.

"Uh, Leon, there's something we wanted to..."

"So, you found the Keyhole," Leon said bluntly, turning around to look at them.

Aerith's gaze dropped, her smile fading slightly as she straightened to her full height. She turned slowly to look at Leon, a deep sympathy in her eyes. The trio exchanged glances again, surprised at what Leon had said. How did he know?

"Uhh… yeah," Sora answered. "The Keyblade locked 'em automatically."

"Good," Aerith said quietly, with an approving nod.

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at Aerith now, the same shocked expression present in all of them, each of them equally clueless as to what was going on. The young lady returned their gaze, and her gentle smile returned to grace her face. Leon wiped the back of his neck with the hand towel.

"Every world among the stars has a Keyhole," Leon explained. "And each one leads to the heart of that world. There must be one in this town as well."

"'Heart of the world'? What do you mean?"

"It was in Ansem's report," Aerith answered, moving to join Leon.

Leon folded his arms over his chest. "The Heartless enter through the Keyhole and do something to the world's core."

Sora leaned forward slightly, getting worried. "And… What happens to the world?"

Aerith turned slowly, her eyes still lowered to the floor. "In the end… it disappears."

The trio jumped in place, their eyes going wide and their jaws dropping open. "_WHAT_?"

"'There exists under the skies no heart that escapes the heart of darkness,'" Aerith quoted, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together. "'The Heartless that do in that taint reside, progressing in the twilight of innocence to manifest and consume the hearts of all. Such is their nature and desire. Those worlds claimed at heart by the infestation of the Heartless are to us lost, enveloped and shattered in the black of night.'"

Goofy blinked. "Ahyuk. Did you write that yourself?"

Donald clenched one hand into a fist and gritted his teeth together. "Goofy…!"

Leon ignored them and turned to Sora. "That's why your key is so important. The hearts of the remaining worlds _must _be locked from contamination."

Aerith opened her eyes. "Please lock the Keyholes. As the chosen of the key, you're the _only one_ who can."

Sora swallowed hard. "I… don't know…"

"Besides, seeing other worlds would probably serve you well," Leon told him. "Trust me."

"Yeah!" Donald said cheerily, giving Sora a friendly pat on the back.

"We gotta find your friends!" Goofy added. "And King Mickey!"

Sora looked at Goofy and Donald, his eyes slightly wide. He switched his gaze from one to the other, still absorbing the details of this new duty that he had. It was hard to believe that someone had gone from being completely carefree to being the dutiful Keyblade master. Sora had never had such a huge job before. He had never even thought very far into his future. It had just always seemed to him that things were going to stay the same forever. But now…

He took a deep breath and accepted his fate.

"I guess you're right…"

"Don't worry," Aerith told him with an encouraging smile. "You'll be fine. I'm confident you'll succeed, Sora." She placed one hand on Sora's shoulder and squeezed it slightly. Sora looked up at her, slightly dazed by her motherly behavior. He then took another deep breath and smiled.

"Okay! Oh, by the way…" Sora looked at Donald as he spoke, gesturing for Donald to show him the blocks. "We found these Gummi blocks, but they're… _different _from the others."

Donald pulled the blocks out and held them out for Leon and Aerith to see. They both stepped forward, peering into Donald's hands. Sora looked at the blocks first before turning his eyes back on the veteran heroes. "Do you know what they're for?"

Leon narrowed his eyes and threw his hand towel over his shoulder. He turned on his heel and began to walk back toward his Gunblade and chucked the towel toward it. Aerith glanced at Leon and sighed, exasperated. She then bent down slightly to examine the blocks closer. She picked one up and held it up close to her eyes, and then let out another breath and replaced it into Donald's hands.

"Ask Cid," she said. "He should know."

Sora nodded in response and all three of them turned to go.

"Wait, Sora." Leon turned around and walked back toward Sora, reaching into one of his pockets and pulling something out. "Take this with you."

He revealed a small amber colored stone that seemed to be slightly transparent, and if one didn't know any better, they'd say that it looked like there was something frozen within its core. It glittered mystically in the dim light. Leon rubbed its surface with his thumb as though he were polishing it and then handed it to Sora.

"This stone holds some mysterious power," Leon said. "I've been carrying it for luck. I want you to hold onto it."

The Keyblade Master took it into his hands and examined it carefully. "How do you use it?"

Leon said nothing in response. He merely walked away again, his fingers rubbing his scar. He then seated himself next to his Gunblade, picking up a rice ball and taking a huge bite out of it.

"Uh… Leon?"

Still no response. Sora made a face. So much for Leon being the expert. Aerith sighed helplessly, shaking her head slowly from side to side.

"Don't mind him," she told Sora softly. "I'm sure we'll learn about that stone someday. For now, just go and talk to Cid. He'll help you with the Gummi blocks."

Donald nudged Sora gently in the side. "Come on, Sora."

With a firm nod, the young boy turned around and all three of them took their leave. Leon rose to his feet, moved toward the stone doorway, and leaned against its frame. He stood with his back to the firelight, his face concealed by the shadows offered by the piece of the building. He groaned, massaging his scar to stop the throbbing.

After all of this time, the pain still hadn't completely gone away.

* * *

Cid turned around so that he could see the trio as they entered through the front door of the Accessory shop. He grinned slightly at the sight of them and folded his arms over his chest. 

"Well, look what the cat dragged in."

Sora laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Nice to see you too, Cid."

Cid then nodded toward Sora's companions. "Are these two the friends you were lookin' for?"

The boy's face fell slightly. "Um… no. This is Donald and this is Goofy." He gestured toward each of them as they were introduced. "They're helping me look for them."

Donald shot a sharp look in Sora's direction. He hadn't exactly liked the way they'd been introduced. Meanwhile, Goofy smiled and waved at Cid. "Nice to meetcha!"

"Same here," Cid replied with a firm nod of his head. He then looked at Sora. "So I take it that you've gotten yourself into some kinda trouble?"

"Actually… we have a favor to ask you."

The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That a fact?"

"There's something we want you to take a look at," Donald explained. "Leon and Aerith said that _you'd _know what they are."

He pulled out the Gummi blocks and placed them on top of the counter in front of Cid. Cid's face pulled into a long, stern look, his brow furrowing as his attention turned to the Gummi blocks.

"Well now… What've you got _there_?"

Moving closer towards them, Cid reached over and picked one of the Gummi blocks up. He held it up in front of his face, screwing up his eyes as he examined it. Suddenly, his grin returned.

"Hey! Well, if it ain't a Gummi block!"

"Yup," Donald said with a nod.

Sora was slightly surprised to hear that Cid knew that it was a Gummi block. Then again, Leon and Aerith _had _said… Donald and Goofy weren't bothered by Cid's knowledge at all. It was only to be expected from somebody who lived in Traverse Town.

"What're these kinds for?" Goofy prompted.

Cid's grin was quickly replaced with a frustrated scowl. "You're _kiddin' _me! You're flyin' a Gummi ship and you don't even know nothin' about _navigation gummis_?" He shook his head from side to side, disappointed. "Bunch of pinheads. Interspace ain't no playground."

"There's a _lot _we don't know," Sora argued, taking offense. "So _what_? We have to use the Gummi ship to go to other worlds. We don't have a choice!"

It seemed to Sora that Cid was constantly underestimating and looking down on him. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Cid in annoyance and clenched his fists at his sides. Sora then pulled out the Keyblade and showed it to Cid, as though to prove to him that they really _were _on an important mission. The shop keeper looked at the Keyblade, then at Sora, his eyes going wide in alarm.

"Whoa, easy. I didn't know. No hard feelings, all right?" He scratched the back of his neck vigorously, slightly embarrassed. He then checked the Gummi blocks one more time. "Well, I guess I can lend y'all a hand, then."

The trio looked at each other, smiles appearing on all of their faces. "Thanks!"

Cid grinned and raised the Gummi block for everyone to see. "Basically, with navigation gummis, you can go to new places. It upgrades yer coordinate database for locations in known interspace, lets you go where no man's gone before and all that. You want one on your ship, right? It can't hurt to install it… Not like it'll crash yer system or nothin'."

Donald and Goofy exchanged glances before nodding firmly in approval. Cid scratched the bridge of his nose and put the Gummi block back on the counter.

"I'll install it for you," he told them sternly. He then drew in a deep breath and bent down, searching behind the counter for something. "But I got this thing I gotta go deliver first."

Sora took a step forward and peered over the edge of the counter, curious to see what Cid was looking for. "What do you need to deliver?"

"Just this book," Cid answered, still searching. Sora blinked, confused. A _book_? "It's _real old_. When the guy brought it in, it was practically falling apart. Too beat up to restore it to the way it was."

Suddenly, Cid popped back up again, having found what he was looking for. In one hand he held a book. It was in a beautiful thick amber colored binding, making it look antiquated and valuable somehow. It had a small golden lock on it, keeping the book shut. However, they could easily tell that it wasn't locked. On the cover there was a large, blank white space. It looked something like a diary, but judging by the way Cid had been talking about it, it didn't belong to anybody special. He handed it to Sora.

"But overall, I did a decent job puttin' it back together," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, you mind deliverin' it for me? It's the old house past the Third District. Look for a big fire sign."

Sora took the book with both hands and nodded. And no sooner had he tucked the book under one arm did the entire building shake. It was only for a brief moment, but everyone except for Cid was caught completely off guard. Donald quacked in alarm as he fell backwards onto his butt. Sora's eyes widened as he grabbed the edge of the counter with one hand to keep his balance and glanced around them.

"Wh-What was _that_?"

Just then, sounding off from somewhere in the distance, was the sound of a series of bells ringing, making the most melodious tones as it echoed over all of Traverse Town. Cid perked up slightly, raising his head, his eyes turning toward where the ringing was coming from.

"Hmm? The bell at the gizmo shop is ringing."

The trio exchanged glances, Donald getting up off the floor and dusting himself off. An excited twinkle appeared in Sora's eyes as he looked at them. "Let's..."

"Go check it out if you want," Cid continued nonchalantly, "but deliver that book for me _first_. When you're done, stop by the house in the Third District. I'll be there."

Sora grinned and nodded. "Alright. Come on guys!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **... Okay, I admit that the ending of this chapter is... abrupt. Apologies.

Did anyone notice the references? Anyways, quite a lot of manga stuff in this chapter. That has to be credited, right? I kinda merged some of the dialogue from the manga that I felt was important. For instance, I liked Cid's explanation on the purpose of the gummi blocks, so I included it. This chapter ran long again... I had to do some more editing and stuff. The trinities are tough to explain, and I decided against having the trio ram through a bunch of iron bars... I don't know how that could possibly have worked out. Oh, and you'll have noticed that I decided to keep the keychain thing. It just seemed to make a lot of sense, even though story wise, the condition of the Keyblade doesn't exactly matter. I just like the different keychains. They're pretty cool. :D

Another thing... I know that reading about the walking around and puzzle solving and all that isn't interesting to read. Skipping them would mean too many cuts from scene to scene, and besides, I'm doing my best to turn these little side quest things into ways of showing how Sora, Donald, and Goofy's relationship is progressing. It's really not as easy as you may think it is, so please cut me someslack.

This chapter is kinda random, but I had a lot of fun with the revisit to Traverse Town. There's a lot of stuff to play around with at this point in time, so I'm really enjoying writing some of this stuff (even if a lot of it is kinda... meaningless, story wise). If you think I'm being weird now, you just wait. There's some _really _random stuff yet to come. Pum pum puhh! Beware of the crazed Kingdom Hearts/Disney fan!


	16. Reunion

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **To quote the Cheshire Cat: _"Are your hearts prepared for the worst? If not, too bad!"_

_**Edit:**_ Reviews - noted. Have taken comments into account and applied them. :D Thanks very much for all the help!

**

* * *

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**15. Reunion**

_Traverse Town_

"Helloooo?"

The trio stood in front of a large doorway that bore on its surface a large fire symbol, just as Cid had told them. The door was tucked away almost secretively in one of the darker corners of the Third District. The short hallway through which it was accessed was dimly lit, and made the door difficult to notice. It looked almost abandoned; the wood of the door appeared to be very old, and the symbol on its surface had even faded slightly so that it was hard to see it.

Donald was pounding impatiently on the door's surface with his fist. "Anyone in there?"

Goofy scratched his head. "Seems kinda empty, don't it?"

"HELLO!" Donald shouted with another pounding of his fist. "Why don't they answer?"

"That's funny," Sora muttered, adjusting his hold on the book. "Somebody's supposed to be living in this place, right? Why would it be empty?"

He put one hand over the symbol and leaned on it casually. Suddenly, the frame of the entire doorway began to glow, its surface emblazoned with mysterious runes and symbols. The same symbols could be seen on both sides of the doorway, reading vertically (though whether it was from the top to bottom or from the bottom to the top was beyond their knowledge). A triangular shaped light of some kind was lit up, gleaming a brilliant yellow. It looked something like a simple stained glass window, with an image of what was probably the sun. Everyone jumped back from the door, alarmed. Donald turned to look at Sora.

"Why does something only happen when _you _touch the door?"

"Because _he's _got the Keyblade!" Goofy said with a laugh.

The duck grumbled something under his breath before turning his attention back on the door.

Sora chuckled softly and shrugged, moving back toward the door. "Maybe." He placed both hands on the door's surface and pushed. "Well, what_ever_ happened to it, it's still shut tight."

Meanwhile, Donald had been staring at the fire symbol on the door, wondering why the door itself was the only thing that hadn't changed. Donald tapped the side of his head, as though doing so would make an idea pop out. He folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head to one side. Sora glanced at Donald out of the corner of his eye and furrowed his brow. What was he thinking so hard about?

And then, suddenly, it was as though Donald's brain had been struck by lightning.

"I got it!" Donald laughed, rubbing his hands together in an almost malicious manner. "Stand back, fellas. I got an idea."

Goofy and Sora obeyed, moving out of Donald's path and pressing their backs to the surrounding walls. The captain of the guard looked at Donald quizzically.

"Are you gonna ram it, Donald?"

"No!" he answered sharply as he pulled out his staff. "Just… _Nevermind_, Goofy."

Pushing his current annoyance with Goofy aside, Donald shut his eyes and focused, aiming the mage's staff at the fire symbol on the door. The length of his weapon began to glow orange. And then suddenly, Donald's eyes shot open.

"FIRE!"

A blazing fireball exploded from the tip of the staff and shot at top speed toward the door. As the fire touched the symbol on the door, the symbol erupted in flame, burning hotly for a few moments before extinguishing itself. Once the fire had died down, everyone could see that the symbol on the doorway was glowing a soft red-orange color. The door creaked open slightly.

"Way to go, Donald!" Sora said excitedly, a grin appearing on his face.

"Gawrsh, I never woulda thought o' doin' _that_…"

"Yeah, well, I, it was nothing…"

The court wizard put his weapon away and cleared his throat, relishing in the praise. After all, he deserved to hear it. However, spending a few extra moments smiling and posing as though his photo was being taken resulted in his companions entering through the doorway before him.

The door led them into a large, dark cavern filled with water. It wasn't really a cave, as there was nothing over their heads but the starry night sky. The walls that enclosed them were steep and smooth, making it absolutely impossible to climb them. Lying in the very center of it all, perched atop a small island surrounded by water, was a strange looking two story house.

It had a roof that looked like a fuchsia colored witch's hat, at the very tip top of which was a tinier version of it (only in blue) spinning around in place like some kind of icon. The roof appeared to be filled with holes of all sizes, and had been patched with a variety of items; planks of wood, cardboard, umbrellas, and even a pumpkin. The entire building appeared to be falling apart. There were long wooden poles jutting out of the surrounding island ground, attached to different parts of the house that needed extra support.

The house itself, if one took away the decorative architectural designs and the variety of unusual objects strewn over it, it looked something like the body of a snowman in the sense that it look like two large snowballs squished one on top of the other. The bricks used to make the house were light lavender in color, and the carved wooden design appeared to be slightly tinted with green. Windows lined up the entire second floor, a few of which had their green shutters open. A small wooden birdhouse could be seen dangling from the rooftop, being tossed about violently in the wind.

The trio exchanged nervous glances. "This place is pretty weird…"

Donald took a deep breath and cupped his hands around his beak. "Hellooo!"

There was still no answer. With another nervous look around, Sora moved forward.

"Come on."

The only way to get across the water and to the house was by a series of flat slabs of stone that appeared to be floating. Together they formed a zigzagged line leading to the island with the house on it. The trio had to jump from rock to rock to reach their destination. They passed beneath a broken wooden archway that had an image of an owl carved into the front and walked up a small set of stairs to get to the front door.

The front door, however, had been totaled. It was blocked by several large wooden crates and planks that had been nailed over the entrance. A few large strips of faded red cloth that had clearly been torn off of something were draped over the havoc. Because of this blockade, Sora and the others were forced to find another way in. There were several windows on the first floor, but they were covered in dust and filth, making it impossible to see through them.

"Hellooo!" Donald bellowed again. "We're here to make a delivery!"

"I don't think nobody lives here," Goofy murmured.

"_Somebody _has to," Donald replied. "How did Cid get a hold of that weird book if there was no one here?"

Goofy shrugged. "Maybe he was dreamin'."

"If he was dreaming than he wouldn't have gotten the book!"

"Oh yeah. Ahyuk."

Sora circled the house in search of another way in. Though he found no entrance, he did notice a few other things about the place. Lined up perfectly all the way around the house were small wooden carvings of an owl. The owl was looking sternly ahead, as though he were upset with someone for doing something stupid and was giving them a scolding look.

"Hey fellas!" Goofy called out. "I found a way in!"

"You did! Where?"

"Over here, guys!"

Both Donald and Sora raced around the house to join Goofy on one side. The captain pointed at large hole in the side of the house that had been quickly covered by a large, torn up green cloth. It had been placed there from the inside of the building. They hadn't noticed it from the front of the house due to a stack of boxes that had been placed right next to it. A few chunks of the bricks littered the surrounding floor.

"Nice going, Goofy!" Sora said, giving the captain a pat on the back.

"Now we can finally find out who lives in this place," Donald quacked.

"Ahyuk! Yup!"

"_And _who the owner of this book is."

"Ahyuk! Yup!"

Sora handed the book over to Goofy and pulled open the curtain, allowing the King's men to enter before him. The inside of the house was completely empty. The only remotely interesting thing that could be found was a raised stone platform in a circular shape that could be seen in the very center of the room. The platform had a small set of stairs leading to the top of it (though one could easily just climb or jump on top of it) placed closest to the hole that served as the room's entrance.

Goofy and Donald wandered off to one side of the room while Sora split from them and explored the other side. Not that there was anything in the room to explore – except maybe for the piles of dust that had collected in parts of the room. The boarded up doorway didn't count; they had seen that from outside. Sora let out a breath, running his hands through his hair.

"There's something _about _this musty place."

Sora spun around at the sound of the familiar voice, his heart skipping a beat. Out from the shadows stepped the most pleasant sight that his eyes had seen in a long while. A girl had appeared before him. A girl whose face was impossible to forget. A girl who had become impossible to replace.

Kairi.

She took long, slow steps forward, her hands behind her back, her eyes cast toward the ceiling. She seemed to be glowing as she moved across the musty stone room in slow motion.

"It reminds me of the secret place back home where we used to scribble on the walls."

She came to a halt near the wall, touching the stone gingerly with one hand. She smiled to herself, her face softening at the memory. She shut her eyes and breathed through her nose, taking in the musty smell of the stone room. Then, reopening them, Kairi turned around to look at Sora and smiled.

"Remember?"

Still stunned at the sight of her, Sora's eyes were as wide as saucers. His mouth dry, his heart pounding in his ears, Sora moved slightly towards her. He raised one hand and reached for Kairi slightly, as though meaning to touch her to see if she was real.

"Kairi…?"

His voice was small and uncertain. He couldn't believe that it was her. He couldn't believe that she was really there, standing just a few feet in front of him. His heart began to beat faster in his chest. He was completely overwhelmed. His mind was filled with questions for her, but he couldn't find his voice in his throat.

The girl before him smiled wider, her sea-green eyes gleaming as though she was overjoyed. Sora took another step forward.

"Sora?"

The sound of Goofy's voice pulled Sora away. The Key Bearer looked back at Goofy, his eyes still wide. The captain tilted his head curiously to one side at the sight of Sora's face. The boy was practically glowing with a happiness of unknown source. As Sora quickly turned back to look at Kairi… he saw nothing. His jaw dropped slightly in alarm. His heart sank into his stomach. There was nobody standing by the stone wall. Especially not someone with short crimson colored hair and sea-green eyes. Especially not one of Sora's best friends in the entire universe.

And most especially not someone that went by the name Kairi.

"Well, well. You've arrived sooner than I expected."

A tall aged man had appeared in the entry way, gazing at the trio respectfully. He wore a long light blue robe of sorts that hung loosely over the man's thin frame. On the top of his head was a matching wizard's hat that was so long it began to droop backwards as it got farther away from the man's scalp. The very tip of it was pointing back down at the floor. His feet were encased in a pair of thin leather slippers of some kind (it looked like something out of the dark ages). The man had a long white moustache and a beard that almost reached the floor. The hair on his head stuck haphazardly out from underneath the cloth of his magician's hat. Perched on his nose was a pair of round spectacles, which the man adjusted as he looked at the trio. In his other hand was a large orange clutch bag.

Sora switched his gaze from the strange man to Donald and Goofy, only to switch back a moment later. "Wha… you knew we were coming?"

The man smiled (although it was hard to tell because of his moustache and beard). "Of course."

"Are you… a Heartless?"

Donald shot a glance in Sora's direction. "He doesn't _look _like one."

The man looked at them both as though they had gone mad. He scoffed at the remark. "Oh, _my_. No. My name is Merlin." He bowed slightly. "As you can see, I am a sorcerer. I spend much of my time traveling." The sorcerer looked around at his abode and took in a deep breath. "It's good to be home."

The trio was somewhat surprised. He really _did _live there. Merlin turned his attention back on the trio and smiled again. He then walked up the steps to reach the top of the circular platform, adjusting his hold on his bag.

"Your king has requested my help."

Goofy and Donald's eyes went wide. Goofy took a hesitant step forward. "King Mickey?"

"Yes, indeed," Merlin confirmed, coming to a halt in the center of the platform and turning to look at everyone once again. "Donald, Goofy." He nodded at both of the king's men before looking over at the boy. "And who might you be, young man?"

"I'm Sora."

Merlin nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Ah. So, you have found the key."

"What did the king ask you to do?" Donald prompted.

Merlin held up one finger in the air, stopping Donald. "Just a moment…"

The duck ruffled his feathers in annoyance as Sora crossed the room to rejoin the king's men. All three of them watched the sorcerer in confusion. Merlin set his bag on the edge of the round platform and then moved to the other side of it. He then took out a black walking staff and raised it into the air over his head. He cleared his throat loudly before tapping the wand in the air in an almost rhythmic fashion.

Merlin glanced at the trio with a wink. "You watch, now, you'll like this."

Completely baffled, the trio looked at each other. They each shrugged their shoulders in turn. None of them had any idea as to what Merlin could possibly be doing.

"Higitus figitus migitus mum!" he roared. "Prestidigitonium! Higitus figitus migitus mum! Prestidigitonium!"

Suddenly the clutch bag popped open, and out came a variety of items. It was difficult to tell what they were at first because they were so small, but they slowly began to grow in size. They moved somewhat rhythmically, marching dutifully in perfect time. As soon as the first few objects had emerged, Merlin began to bounce and hop in place as though he were dancing. And out of his mouth came a flurry of magical words that he said melodically, singing the furniture into their positions around the room.

_Higitus figitus migitus mum!  
Prestidigitonium!  
Hockety pockety wockety wack!  
Odds and ends and bric a brac!  
Alicafez, balacazez  
Malacamez, meripedes!  
Higitus figitus migitus mum!  
Prestidigitonium!  
Higitus figitus migitus mum!  
Prestidigitonium!_

They had all watched in amazement as the contents of Merlin's bag emptied itself. They watched as a small green tea set emerged piece by piece, followed by a round table with a white cloth on its surface. The table grew to its normal size and placed itself in the very center of the round platform. The tea set took their positions on the top of the table while a large red chair emerged from the bag, grew, and tucked itself under the table. A large torch followed the tea set and placed itself close to the edge of the platform. The wick lit up right away, casting a bright orange light throughout the room.

Following that was a large wooden desk which placed itself against the wall while the books that had followed it began to neatly pile themselves up nearby. A variety of objects filled up the drawers and cubbies of the wooden desk; scrolls, candles, beakers, papers, and so on. A small wooden toy train along with a red rocket had placed themselves side by side on top of the desk. A large wooden drawer positioned itself on the other side of the piles of books, pressed against the blocked front door. Three large glass flasks, filled with some kind of colored liquid seated themselves on the floor next to the cabinet. A matching poster followed them and plastered itself on the wall above them.

Right next to that was one of the windows, by which a giant copper telescope had scooted up to, pointing itself upward and right outside. And the spot next to that became home to a small model of a beautiful white carriage that, oddly enough, vaguely resembled a pumpkin. Beyond there lined up another series of objects, including a blackboard that had the ABC's written on it in cursive, still another pile of books that had no proper place to be put, a few more tables and small desks, smaller glass flasks, a large green bed (complete with mattress, blankets, and pillows), and a brass stove, the pipe of which had to force its way out of the building, running right through the wall.

"There now."

Sora's eyes went wide as everyone glanced around at the now fully decorated room.

"What a way to unpack."

The sorcerer chuckled to himself, moving across the platform to pick up the bag. "Well, now just a minute boy. How else would you _get _all this stuff into one suitcase, I'd like to know."

Merlin cleared his throat as he turned back to Sora and the others. He smiled and gestured towards the table spread, inviting them to have some tea. Chairs moved automatically from different parts of the room and scooped up each of them in turn and pulling themselves up to the table. Donald let out a loud surprised quack as his seat was pushed in too quickly, causing Donald to slide forward and collide with the edge of the table. He grumbled angrily to himself as he leaned back, rubbing the sore spot on his stomach. The tea kettle then began to pour a fresh cup of tea for each of them. Merlin seated himself at the head of the table in the large red chair. He smiled contently at everyone as he saw each of them pick up their tea cups and gingerly take a sip.

"Now, um… Would you care for sugar?"

Sora put the teacup down and smiled. "Oh, yes I would." He wiped his mouth. "Please. Uh, what about you guys? Donald? Goofy?"

The captain of the guard grinned goofily and nodded his head. "Uh-huh."

"Thanks." Donald put his cup back down on the table.

Merlin smiled and leaned back slightly in his chair. "Alright. Sugar?"

He clapped his hands twice. And, much to the surprise of Merlin's guests, the sugar container hopped forward, picked up a teaspoon, and began to march toward Merlin dutifully. The sorcerer narrowed his eyes at it.

"NO! Manners, manners, _manners_! Guests _first_! You know that!"

The sugar container jumped up in the air in alarm before spinning around and marching toward the guests. Everyone's eyes grew as wide as saucers as they watched it come toward them. It came to a stop next to Sora's teacup and, removing its lid, used the spoon to scoop into itself and pour sugar into his cup one spoonful at a time. Merlin chuckled to himself.

"Just say 'when', lad."

After receiving two sugars, Sora smiled to himself. "Uh…When."

The container seemed to look up at Sora with some surprise. It then hopped over to Donald to give him the same treatment.

Meanwhile, Merlin got down to business.

"Your king asked me to train you in the art of magic," he said matter of factly.

Sora almost choked on the biscuit that he had started to nibble on. "Eh?"

Donald nudged Sora in the side. "Pay attention, Sora."

The Key bearer cast an annoyed look in Donald's direction. Donald ignored it and turned his attention to the moving sugar container. "When."

"Yes, please listen carefully," Merlin continued. "You've done well yourself, learning to manipulate the Keyblade on instinct alone." He rose from his seat and stepped down from the platform, moving toward his pile of books and rummaging through them for the right one. "But that reliance on instinct denies you the full capacity of the weapon."

As soon as Merlin had risen from his seat, the sugar container had moved on from Goofy's cup to Merlin's. The trio watched as it continually poured spoons of sugar into Merlin's cup. Sora stifled a laugh, putting one hand over his mouth. "Uh… Merlin?"

"Conscious control of the Keyblade's functions is essential to your cause," Merlin went on, returning to his seat. "But don't you get any foolish ideas that magic will solve all of your problems. Because it _won't_! Well, Sora, we can start anytime you like. And… Ah!" His eyes went wide when he saw the mountain of sugar where his teacup used to be. "When! _When! _Blast it all, _WHEN_!"

The container of sugar jumped up, frightened. Its lid flipped a few times in the air and its spoon clattered loudly on the table top. Then it pulled on its lid and dashed away, hiding itself behind the tea kettle, peeking out to look at Merlin nervously. The sorcerer grumbled under his breath, dropping the books that he had picked up on the table top. He grabbed the teacup and threw the excess sugar over his shoulder. He then used the end of his beard to sweep the sugar off the table. Donald, Sora, and Goofy all struggled to hold back their laughter, Sora reaching for another biscuit.

"Impudent piece of crockery," Merlin grumbled, smoothing his beard down and taking a seat. He grabbed one of the books he had retrieved and began to flip through the pages. He grimaced and shut the book again, and then picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "As I was saying, we can start anytime you like. Let me know when you're ready to begin the training."

Goofy stared curiously at the sugar container as it stood "watching" Merlin. He stretched out one hand toward it and gingerly touched the lid. It immediately jumped away, turning around to "face" Goofy, and, taking the teaspoon back into its clutches, whacked Goofy's fingers with it. The captain immediately withdrew his hand, wincing at the pain. He frowned at the sugar container as it hopped a short distance away from him.

Merlin looked at Sora with a knowing gleam in his eyes. "You mustn't forget your dream…"

Sora bit down on the biscuit, his eyes darting upward to look into Merlin's face. How did Merlin know about that?

"Oh, and one more thing."

The sorcerer gestured for the trio to turn around in their seats. The room had suddenly filled with small, twinkling blue lights. They flickered brilliantly as they slowly moved across the room, gathering together around the carriage model. The light grew brighter as they clumped together in the one spot. And then suddenly a figure of a woman appeared where the lights had been.

She was a small, plump old lady, who was also wearing a light blue robe like Merlin, except hers reached all the way to the dusty floor. It hung loosely over her frame, the sleeves on her arms being large and baggy, similar in fashion to a traditional Japanese kimono. Because of this, the pink interior of the robe was easily seen. The lady did not wear a hat the way Merlin did; instead, her robe had a hood attached to it which was currently pulled over her head. Some of her bouncy snow white hair could be seen popping out from within the hood. The tip of the hood was pointed, and curved upwards rather than downwards. Nestled right underneath the woman's chin was a large pink bow, the tips of which almost reached the cloth belt that was wrapped around her waist.

"Hello," she said with a sweet smile. "I'm the Fairy Godmother. Your king asked me to help, too. I will assist throughout your journey."

The Fairy Godmother curtsied slightly in their direction. Sora and the others smiled back, not quite sure what else they should do. Goofy, however, gave her a little wave. The Fairy Godmother smiled at each of them, and then turned on Merlin.

"I _am _a bit offended to not have been invited for tea."

The trio all exchanged looks that seemed to say the exact same thing: Merlin was in trouble. All eyes turned back to look at the sorcerer. Merlin practically choked on his latest sip of tea, almost dropping the teacup to the floor. He adjusted his spectacles and began to search frantically for something to say.

"Terribly sorry, I didn't realize, I mean, it hadn't, I was just…"

Her face softened almost immediately and she laughed. "Think nothing of it, Merlin. I know you've always been scatterbrained. It doesn't bother me at all."

They both laughed for a while, leaving Sora and the others to feel awkward for just a moment. They then both turned to the heroes, returning their attention to their duty. "I do not know how much we can be of help, but do stop by anytime."

"Alright," Donald said. "But we should get going now." He nodded at Sora and Goofy, signaling for them to start leaving.

"Okay," Sora said, grabbing one last biscuit to eat as he slipped out of his chair. "We'll come back soon enough. Thanks!"

Goofy took another sip of his tea and rose to his feet. Then suddenly, he noticed something. "Wait! Fellas!"

Donald and Sora stopped in their tracks, turned around, and looked back at Goofy. The captain picked up the old book that Cid had given them and raised it in the air for them to see.

"We forgot about _this_. About Cid's delivery."

A sheepish grin appeared on Sora's face. "Oh yeah! Oops…"

"That _is _what we came here to do," Donald murmured to himself, embarrassed.

"Oh, that book!" Merlin exclaimed upon seeing it, rising slightly from his chair. He extended one hand toward Goofy. "So, Cid asked you to bring this. Thank you!"

Goofy laughed to himself, handing the book over to Merlin right away. Merlin chuckled as he pulled it closer to him and examined it.

"My!" he exclaimed cheerily. "The binding's almost as good as new! Highwind's gotten rather proficient at book restoration, hasn't he?"

The Fairy Godmother shook her head slowly from side to side. "Yes, so it seems."

Sora was struck. _'Highwind_…'

Merlin began to thumb through the pages. After a moment, the Fairy Godmother looked up at him and walked toward Merlin curiously. So did everyone else. Sora and Donald inched back toward the wizard, craning their necks slightly so that they could catch a glimpse of what was inside. Goofy was still standing practically right next to the sorcerer, so he merely peered over at the book with a chuckle. Merlin looked up at everyone, somewhat surprised, and then laughed to himself.

"You wish to know what kind of book it is?"

"Uh-huh!" Donald said eagerly, hopping back up onto the round platform.

"I don't even know myself!" Merlin said with a hearty laugh, closing the book. "In fact, it's not mine. Somehow it found its way into my bag one day. It was such a curious book, I asked Cid to repair it for me."

"Merlin, you never change," the Fairy Godmother commented, placing her hands on her hips.

Sora let out a deep, somewhat disappointed sigh. He had been hoping that the sorcerer would know what the book was. He had been getting this funny feeling about it for the past while. Curious book was right. He watched as Merlin rose to his feet and began to move about the study, looking around.

"Well, I guess I'll put it here _some_where, for now," he said with a chuckle. "This book holds a great secret. The missing pages will unlock it."

"Great secret?" Donald quacked.

"The missing pages?" Goofy echoed, tilting his head curiously to one side.

Merlin nodded. "Oh! If by chance you run across the pages of this book in your travels, I _do _hope that you'll save them for me." He then found an empty table and placed the book on top of it. "I'll just leave it right here. Do look at it whenever you like." Merlin straightened and turned to face everyone once again. "Oh, and about that stone of yours…"

Sora jumped slightly in alarm. "H-How do you…?"

A knowing twinkle could be seen behind his spectacles, in his eyes. "You should ask the Fairy Godmother about that."

With a dumbfounded nod of his head, Sora pulled out the stone that Leon had given him. He looked at it for a while, shifting it from one hand to the other. Donald and Goofy hopped down from the circular platform and joined Sora. They all stared at it for a moment before holding it out for the Fairy Godmother to see. The plump lady smiled and crossed the room to join them.

"Do you… know what this is?"

A small, somewhat sad frown appeared on the Fairy Godmother's face. "Oh, the poor thing!" she wailed plaintively. "He has turned into a summon gem."

The trio looked at each other in shock. "A summon gem?"

The Fairy Godmother gingerly picked up the stone with two fingers and raised it in the air so as to inspect it further. "This little creature lived in a world that was consumed by darkness. When a world vanishes, so do its inhabitants."

Donald and Goofy looked over at Sora in shock. The boy's face paled. Hadn't _his _world vanished? Did… Did that mean that… So Riku and Kairi…

"But this one had such a strong heart," the Fairy Godmother continued, "he became a gem instead of vanishing with his world."

And Sora found a sparkle of hope. "Can he regain himself?"

"Yes, but only his spirit."

And Sora's sparkle of hope faded. The Fairy Godmother looked into Sora's face, and, seeing the disappointment and sadness in the boy's eyes, she took a step forward and turned around to face them. The smile had returned to the Fairy Godmother's face.

"Now, watch!" She reached into her sleeve and began to dig around inside it for a moment, in search of something. Her brow furrowed, a baffled look in her eyes. "Now, where _is _that wand? I know I put it around here _some_where."

The trio had to stifle their laughter as they watched the Fairy Godmother humorously hop around in place and pat herself down in search of her wand. Then suddenly, she froze in place as she remembered. She laughed at her own silliness.

"I forgot!" she said, mostly to herself. "I put it away."

Merlin, who had seated himself in his red chair and was flipping through his books, suddenly jumped to his feet and pointed one finger at the Fairy Godmother.

"A_HA_!" he shouted victoriously. "_Now _who's scatter brained!"

The Fairy Godmother laughed softly and waved Merlin off. "Oh, _hush, _Merlin."

The sorcerer grinned as he returned to scanning the contents of his book. He made a mental tab of the page he was on before flipping to another one. The Fairy Godmother continued about her business as well, raising one hand in the air and pinching two of her fingers together. She then pulled the hand down as though she were unzipping a zipper. And as she did so, a slender white wand appeared between her two fingers. Donald's eyes grew wide, impressed, as the Fairy Godmother got herself ready. She held out the summon gem with her free hand and pointed the tip of her wand at it.

"Bibbity… Bobbity… Boo!"

With another twinkling of white lights, a lion's roar could be heard from somewhere. It sounded far and distant, but that didn't change the power and the might of it. Everyone's eyes went wide, except for that of the Fairy Godmother. She handed the stone back to Sora with a smile.

"Now, whenever you call, he will help you," she explained.

Donald raised an eyebrow. "Uhh… 'he'?"

"The spirit of course!" the Fairy Godmother laughed as though she had heard a good joke.

The duck nodded his head, turning his eyes away. "Of course," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Why didn't _I_ think of that?"

Goofy chuckled. "Because you didn't know!"

"If you find any more of these," the Fairy Godmother went on, "bring them to me."

Sora looked down at the stone. It looked… _different _somehow. It almost looked as though it were alive. He sighed as he looked at it. His heart felt like it was aching. The thought of Riku or Kairi turning into a stone like this was just…

"Don't worry," the Fairy Godmother continued gently, placing one hand under Sora's chin. She smiled at him encouragingly. "When their worlds are restored, they will return there. Sora, please save them."

She then put her other hand on Sora's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Sora forced out a smile as he put the summon gem away. "Don't worry, I will."

Just as the trio were finally about to leave, Merlin raised his staff into the air and cleared his throat loudly, diverting their attention back to him. "Oh, and Sora! You'd best go see Cid before going anywhere else."

Sora grinned, cheering up. "Alright."

* * *

The trio shut the door behind them as they reentered the Third District. They all let out a long breath, as though they had been holding it in ever since they had entered the mystical house and were only permitted to relax now that they had left. All three of them looked at each other, the same weary expression on their faces. Goofy scratched at an itch at the back of his neck.

"Gawrsh, the number of things we gotta find keeps growing."

"Not a problem, really," Donald said, turning to look at Sora and Goofy over his shoulder. "We'll just get 'em one at a time."

"Sounds like a plan," Sora said cheerily.

Just then, a Heartless soldier jumped out from the shadows and landed on Sora's back. It wrapped itself around Sora's torso, locking his arms in place so that Sora couldn't fight back. The boy struggled against its grip. Both Donald and Goofy jumped forward, pulling out their weapons.

"SORA!"

He squeezed his eyes shut, seeing the form of the Keyblade in his mind's eye. If it was a fight they wanted, then it was a fight they'd get.

And that's when it happened. Sora suddenly heard the sound of something formidably slicing through the air. Before he knew it, the weight that the shadow had placed on him was lifted. The black smoke and mist that he had learned to associate with the defeat of a Heartless could be seen out of the corner of his eye. Sora spun around immediately to see what had happened.

The person who saved him was holding a black sword that looked something like a red bat wing, black at the hilt with a round aqua colored gem that looked like an eye embedded into the top of the weapon. The person himself was about half a head taller than Sora. He wore a sleeveless top, black on the back and yellow on the front, that did just about everything to emphasize his lean, muscular build. Two black strips crisscrossed over his chest and fastened into their places just below his upper torso with white buttons. The yellow collar stuck up slightly, but ended up dropping down the shirt, too low to cover much of his neck. His wrists were wrapped in thick black bands. His hands were slipped into a pair of black gloves that began in the center of his palms and stretched over his fingers.

He wore blue pants underneath a baggier set of blue pants which had suspenders of some kind to hold them in place. A pair of small black belts was fastened around his ankles, tightening the baggy pants to his feet. His shoes were blue, yellow, and black in color, matching the rest of his clothes. He had shoulder length platinum colored hair that spiked out stylishly to the sides. His green eyes gleamed with power and mischief as he turned his gaze on Sora. He swung his weapon in the air and grinned.

"_There _you are," he said with a cheery laugh. "What's going on?"

Sora's eyes went wide in recognition. "Riku!"

He began to move forward haltingly, approaching the image of Riku with caution. As soon as he reached him, Sora grabbed hold of Riku, still staring at him with wide eyes. He then took his thumbs, tucked them into the corners of his friend's mouth and began to pull at the corners of his lips, stretching them to the side, making sure that this was Riku. _Really _Riku. Made of flesh and bone.

Riku's eyes grew wide, alarmed. He immediately pushed Sora's hands away with a laugh. "Hey, hey, cut it _out_!"

Sora took a step back, his eyes still as wide as saucers. He looked Riku up and down, still unsure of whether or not he should believe what he was seeing. He backed away a bit more to make sure that he didn't disappear the farther he got from him. "I'm not dreaming this time… right?"

Riku laughed. "I _hope _not." He then ran one gloved hand through his hair and released an annoyed breath. "Took _forever _to find you."

This really _was _Riku! So Riku hadn't vanished with their world. The bewildered expression on Sora's face slowly diminished, making way for a joyous smile. "Riku!"

Ever so slowly, Donald and Goofy moved to join them. Even so, Donald held Goofy back a few feet, so that they weren't standing right next to Sora. They all began to walk out into the more open space of the Third District, Riku walking a bit ahead of them. There was a light step in Riku's walk that reminded Sora of the way they had all been before, back on the island. Before they had come up with the grand scheme with the raft and going to other worlds. Before Riku – as Kairi had said – changed. Which reminded Sora…

"Wait a second," he said, stopping dead in his tracks. "Where's Kairi?"

Riku turned around, a surprised look on his face. "Isn't she with _you_?"

Somehow, that really stung him. Sora hung his head sadly.

"Well, don't worry," he told Sora with a shrug, taking a short walk. He put one hand on Sora's shoulder and patted him on the back as he passed him. "I'm sure she made it off the island, too." He came to a halt a few feet behind Sora, glancing back at him over his shoulder. A smile appeared on his face. "We're finally _free_."

He then turned back around and looked up at Traverse Town. He opened his arms up as though taking in its glory, then closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose. Everyone watched Riku carefully, as though he was a time bomb about to explode. Donald and Goofy especially didn't know what to expect, since they had never met him before.

After a moment, Riku opened his eyes again and chuckled to himself. "Hey, she might even be looking for _us _now," he told Sora lightly. "We'll all be together again soon. Don't worry. Just leave everything to _me_. I know this--"

While Riku had been talking, Sora had noticed a shadow Heartless that had appeared behind everyone. Just as it leapt at Riku, Sora pulled out the Keyblade and slashed at it horizontally, defeating it with one strike. He stood frozen for a moment, his eyes darting around to see if there were any other Shadows to take care of. Sora then smiled slightly to himself and straightened, putting the Keyblade over one shoulder as he turned around to face Riku. Upon seeing the shocked and confused expression on his best friend's face, Sora grinned.

"Leave it to _who_?" he asked Riku skeptically, an arrogant expression on his face.

Everyone moved a bit closer. Donald and Goofy now felt much more included, now that Sora had gotten out of his wave of nostalgia and had once again become the Keyblade master. Of course, this cockiness was something that neither of them had seen in full force before. Riku furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what exactly had happened.

"Sora, what did you—"

He stuttered slightly as he spoke, still searching for the right words.

Sora lowered the Keyblade and smiled. "I've been lookingfor you," he explained, "and Kairi, too, with _their _help."

Only then did he gesture towards Donald and Goofy. Both of the King's men nodded in agreement, making their presence known to Riku. Riku looked at them out of the corner of his eye, his brow still furrowed. He narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Who _are _they?"

Donald smiled somewhat smugly and cleared his throat. "My name is--"

"We've visited so many places and worlds, looking for _you,_" Sora interjected.

The duck shot an annoyed look in Sora's direction. He grumbled something incoherently under his breath. Goofy immediately worked to calm Donald down, moving forward and putting his hands on his shoulders. Of course, it didn't work. There weren't many things in existence that could calm down Donald Duck when he got upset. Riku looked at Sora suspiciously. All emotion had suddenly dropped out of Riku's expression, and his eyes glazed over with an icy stare.

"Really? Well, what do you know? I never would've guessed."

Goofy then rose to his full height, came up from behind and put both his hands on Sora's shoulders. Donald, having managed to swallow his annoyed fit of rage for the moment, walked around Goofy and Sora to get to the other side. A classic grin spread across Goofy's face and he shook Sora gently in a proud, emphatic gesture. Sora could hardly help but smile.

"Oh, and guess what?" he said cheerily, addressing Riku. "Sora's the _Keyblade master_."

"Who would've _thought _it?" Donald added grumpily. He looked up at Sora, still somewhat annoyed, his arms folded and his eyes narrowed.

"What's _that _mean?" Sora snapped back.

He stomped one foot on the ground as he turned to Donald. The duck saw no reason to reply. And so they ended up in a sort of glaring contest, their eyes locked angrily on each other for a moment.

"So… this is called a 'Keyblade'?"

Everyone turned to look at Riku. Somehow, Riku now had the Keyblade in his hands. As soon as everyone had looked at him, he held it out for them all to see. Sora was probably the most surprised to see his special weapon in Riku's grip. He looked into his now empty hand and groaned slightly. He then began to move toward Riku, reaching for the Keyblade.

"H-Hey! Give it back."

Riku jumped back swiftly in a dodge as Sora began to lose his balance. He teetered for a moment on one foot before finally falling flat on his face. Riku looked first at Sora and then back at the Keyblade, raising it in the air and examining it closely. He then let out a breath, bored. He turned his gaze back to Sora (who was only now starting to rise to his feet) and said, in a completely deadpanned tone, "Catch."

He tossed the Keyblade back at Sora. The boy immediately jumped to his feet and caught the Keyblade with both hands. For an instant, Sora was in a daze. He stared at the Keyblade for a moment, stunned. He couldn't understand how Riku had managed to get a hold of it. He shook the thought out of his head looked back at Riku with a big smile.

"Okay, so, you're coming _with _us, right?" he asked him excitedly. "We've got this _awesome _rocket! Wait 'til you _see_ it!"

Riku looked at Sora for a moment, and then turned to look skeptically at Donald and Goofy. His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze only turning icier.

Donald was still stuck in his bad mood. "No, he can't come!"

Sora turned on Donald, stomping his foot on the floor. "_What_!"

"For_get_ it!"

"Oh, come on! He's my _friend_!"

"I – don't – _care_!"

Goofy stood watching the argument for a while, turning his head so that he was looking at Sora, then at Donald, and then back at Sora. It was only when his neck began to ache that he decided to see how Riku was taking it. "Huh? He's gone!"

The words pulled Sora out of the argument. His eyes went wide and he straightened immediately. It was true. Riku was gone. He had just… vanished. Sora looked around the Third District, spinning in place, moving to where Riku used to be standing. "Riku?"

Donald grunted, folding his arms over his chest and tapping one webbed foot on the floor. Served Sora right for disrespecting them the way he had. With one final look around, Sora willed the Keyblade away and clenched his fists at his sides.

"Nice going."

Almost immediately, Donald felt bad. His conscience had caught up to him. He and Goofy glanced at each other, a remorseful expression on their faces. Just as Donald was about to concede and apologize, a smile had reappeared on Sora's face and he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, well," he said cheerily, putting his arms over his head. "At least he's okay."

The sudden recovery had caught both Donald and Goofy by surprise. Sora glanced at them over his shoulder and grinned. "And who knows? Maybe we'll run into Kairi soon, too."

* * *

Somebody peered out from his hiding place, watching the boy, dog, and duck as they resumed what they had been doing. He narrowed his eyes. He wasn't particularly happy. Not at all.

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** Hehehe... I really went out on a limb with this one. I just really like Merlin and his madness, it was rather enjoyable to write about. That whole thing was just random, I know. Story-wise, it's not so very important... Merlin does make a few interesting points, though. I got some of his more interesting dialogue from both the movie _Sword in the Stone_ and from the KH manga. As for the fairy godmother... I didn't really wanna include her (she's kinda hard to characterize), but she _was_ there, and she _did_ have a purpose, so she's allowed to keep her cameo.

The two most important things in this chapter are the vision of Kairi and Riku's reappearance. Welcome the boy back before he feels left out and... hmm. Yeah. I never know what to think about Riku. I hate him, like him, sympathize with him, pity him, am angry with him, want to help him and knock some sense back into him all at once. But he's interesting to write about, just because there's so much about him that you don't see right away.

_**Added:** ...I've realized that I've had to break a lot of my own policies and writing rules to stay consistent with the direction and flow of the game..._

_Hehehe... Yes, Archimedes would've been fun to put in. I really wanted to... I may include him the next time Sora comes to visit Merlin. Pooh bear as well. I know what you mean about the 100 Acre wood, I LOVED those scenes! Suggestions for how to do that would be greatly appreciated. If anyone thinks of any, e-mail me. :D_


	17. Silence and Motion

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Awww... all the praise makes me happy. :) Thank you all so much! I just hope I'm doing the game justice. It gets harder and harder with each passing world, but I definitely will not give up on it.

As for Huey, Dewey, and Louie... They're comin' up. Not in this chapter, but very soon, you'll see. And I'm thinkin' of havin' Archimedes be there the next time Sora comes to visit Merlin to train in the ways of magic. Still planning moments for the summons, though... Hmm. If anyone thinks of any, please e-mail me! Thanks very much:D

And a million and a half "thank you!"s to my new beta reader!

**

* * *

**

_**Chapter 16****  
Silence and Motion**_

_Traverse Town_

Doing exactly as Cid told them, Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their way to the small house that lay in the Third District. They had bumped into Yuffie on the way, so she was the one to lead them to their new meeting place. Yuffie explained on the way that they couldn't just meet on the street, Leon's waterway, or at the inn all the time. They needed a _real _meeting place, which they believed they had finally found. And tonight, they would supposedly lay out battle plans.

"This room will be our secret base," she said brightly as she laid one hand on the doorknob. "It's nice and snug here."

Their secret base was a small house that seemed to have been abandoned for quite a long time. There were crates and boxes stacked up in one corner of the room, some of them labeled and others unmarked. There was a layer of dust on the top of these boxes and on the few empty shelves that jutted out from the wall. But whoever had last lived in it must have been in a terrible rush to leave. Almost all the furniture remained inside.

There was a bed on the far end of the room, still in good condition with its blankets still draped over it and a small purple pillow leaning against the headrest. Right next to that was a tall wooden wardrobe with a small mirror hanging on one side of it, facing the bed. In the middle of the room was a small square table with several chairs tucked underneath it. Laid over the table was a worn white table cloth with a faded yellow floral design on its surface. On top of the table was a small wicker basket with several boxes of what appeared to be cereal or some other kind of food. On either side of the doorway was a large cabinet of some kind, the tops of which were adorned with several boxes and vases, with a thick layer of dust collecting over all of it.

The blue and white zigzagged wall paper was still in good condition as well, except for the occasional peel, through which the wooden walls were made visible. A large, dusty sheet of cloth could be seen hanging from the rafters near the bed. A single large, electric lamp was hanging on a thick cable from the rafters as well, illuminating the room to the best of its ability. A long cord dangled from the base of the lamp, which must have served as an on/off switch.

As soon as Yuffie opened the door leading into the small house, a deep, sullen atmosphere fell over them. Inside the room were Leon, Aerith, and Cid, completely silent, facing one another but not looking at anyone's face. Leon leaned against the wall with his eyes shut, and Cid stood a few feet away from him with his arms folded and his eyes focused on the floor. Aerith sat on the edge of the bed, staring sadly into her lap. No one said a word as Yuffie and the others entered.

Sora glanced around nervously. "Kinda… _gloomy _in here…"

Even Yuffie began to get nervous. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "Uh, guys? What's going--"

"Maleficent's in town," Leon said sternly, not looking up.

The young ninja's eyes went wide with shock. "What?"

"Maleficent?" Goofy echoed.

"Yeah, you guys ever hear of her?" Cid asked them gruffly, turning around so that he was looking at the newcomers.

The trio looked to one another first to make sure. Then, turning their eyes back to Cid and the others, all three of them shook their heads in perfect unison.

"Who _is _she?"

Cid looked at them as though they were crazy. "A witch, man, she's a _witch_!"

"A witch?"

Goofy scratched the side of his head. "Y'mean like Merlin?"

Yuffie shook her head, her gaze dropping to the floor. "No. Not like Merlin."

"She's the reason this town is full of Heartless," Leon told them evenly. He then raised his head for the first time to look Goofy straight in the eye. "Don't take her lightly."

The captain of the guard swallowed hard, his eyes growing wide. "Ahyuk."

Aerith then crossed the room to join the others. "She's been using the Heartless for _years_."

"It's 'cause of _her _that our home world got shattered," Yuffie said firmly.

Her voice was trembling with anger and distress. She clenched her fists at her sides, biting back the tears that were threatening to come out at the memory. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away.

"One day, a swarm of Heartless took over our world," Cid explained.

"That was nine years ago," Leon interjected.

Cid continued his story without any heed to Leon. "Ran us right offa our world. I got outta that mess and came here with these guys. I took pity on 'em and grabbed 'em by the diapers on the way off world."

This whole time, Sora and the others had been growing increasingly sympathetic as they listened to their story. Goofy removed his hat and fiddled with it anxiously while Donald crossed his arms in irritation and tapped one foot on the floor. Sora's heart was racing, though he wasn't sure whether it was out of anger or fear. It could have been both. He gritted his teeth together and clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles had turned white.

"You don't say…"

"No good dirty rotten _witch_," Donald grumbled under his breath.

Leon drew in a breath before continuing. "Our ruler was a wise man named Ansem. He dedicated his life to studying the Heartless."

Cid nodded. "His report should tell us how to get rid of the Heartless."

"Where's this report?" Sora asked them, his voice loud and almost commanding.

Everyone suddenly looked at him, their eyes wide. Sora didn't seem at all bothered by the shocked expressions on their faces. He merely returned their stares without flinching. Aerith and Leon looked at each other for a moment, an unheard message passing through their eyes. Leon drew in another breath and answered.

"We don't know. It got scattered when our world was destroyed."

"Maleficent seems to demonstrate a certain interest in Ansem's report," Aerith said. "I'm sure that she's gotten most of the pages of it by now."

* * *

"You _see_? It's just as I _told _you." 

A tall, elegant looking woman stood just outside of the small house. Her dead eyes glowed malevolently as she watched the almost pleasant looking scene that through the window. She pressed her dark red lips together into a tight line as the friendly atmosphere that resonated from the house stabbed at her dark, hateful heart. Her long fingers fiddled with the golden staff in her left hand as she watched through the small, wooden-framed window.

Through the window, one could see the trio of heroes: Sora, Donald, and Goofy. The duck appeared to be throwing some kind of fit, though whether out of annoyance or anger, the onlookers were not entirely sure. The other two merely watched him, a vaguely amused smile across the boy's face. The duck pointed one finger accusingly at Sora, who then chuckled and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"While you _toiled _away trying to find your _dear _friend," she explained to her platinum haired companion coolly as he watched the same scene through the window, "he quite simply… _replaced _you with some new companions."

The boy could be seen laughing lightly, placing both hands over his head. Goofy turned his attention on Sora, saying something that evidently seemed to calm down Donald. The duck nodded in response to whatever it was that his companion had said.

"Evidently, _now _he values _them… far _more than he does _you_."

The Key bearer grinned, swaying side to side in a lackadaisical manner.

Riku watched him silently from outside. He pressed his lips together, taking in deep breaths through his nose. His green eyes burned with an unexpressed rage.

The dragon-like woman slowly turned her gaze to Riku. A smile played across her lips as she looked at him, approving of the boy's quiet anger. Riku didn't move. He continued to glare through the open window at the boy he had once considered to be one of his best friends.

"You're better off without that _wretched _boy," she told him. She leaned forward, putting one arm around Riku. "Now, think no more of him, and come with me."

The words slowly ingrained themselves into Riku's mind. He clenched his fists at his sides and narrowed his eyes. The display before him was intolerable. He was getting more and more annoyed as he watched the trio through the window and listened to the strange woman next to him. His eyes could have burned holes through the glass.

The lady's smile deepened, the corners of her lips turning up in a malicious manner.

"_I'll_ help you find what you're searching for…"

* * *

Cid stretched as he turned back to Sora and the others. "So, you delivered that book?" 

Sora looked at Cid over his shoulder, momentarily confused, and then grinned. "Sure did."

He then crossed the room, a wide grin across his face.

"Great job, kid!" he laughed, putting one hand on Sora's head and messing up his hair.

"Hey, cut it out!"

The Key bearer laughed as he began to swat the burly man's hand away. He seemed very much like a father. Both Leon and Donald groaned at the display, somewhat annoyed, while Yuffie and Aerith merely smiled in amusement. Goofy held nothing back as he let out a laugh. As soon as Cid withdrew his hand from his head, Sora ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to fix what had been messed up.

"Anyway," Cid went on, turning to Donald, "that navigation gummi's installed and ready to go. If you find another one, you bring it to me." The man stretched again, working the kinks out of his neck. "Well, better get back to my _real _job."

He then turned on his heel and began to move toward the door, taking his leave. The trio watched him curiously as he walked away. Goofy tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"Your _real _job?"

"Working in the Accessory shop isn't your real job?"

Cid turned around and winked. "You'll see. I'll be at the First District."

The trio looked at one another and then shrugged in unison. They then started to follow Cid on his way out.

"Oh Cid, wait," Aerith called after him.

Everyone turned around slowly to look at Aerith. The young woman looked at Yuffie with a nod, stood up from the bedside and crossed the room to join the others.

"I've been thinking about the bell in the Second District."

Sora tilted his head to one side. "That one that rang a while ago?"

"The one above the gizmo shop," Yuffie explained, joining them. She then added with a mischievous smile, "There's a legend about it, you know."

"A legend, huh?"

"But it's all boarded up," Aerith continued. "Nobody can get in there."

"Hell, go check it out," Cid said with a scoff, scratching the tip of his nose. "Ring it three times to see if anything happens."

Goofy scratched his head, confused. "Uhh… why _three _times?"

"It's part of the legend," Yuffie explained. "I forget exactly how it goes, but it's something like…" The ninja put one finger to the side of her head as she thought. "Oh, I forget. But you ring the bell three times, and something's supposed to appear."

"Something _good _or something _bad_?"

Yuffie shrugged. "Not really sure."

"Well, _that's _just _perfect_," Donald grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

"Oh come on, Donald," Sora said with a laugh. "Let's just go check it out."

Once again, the duck was forced to concede to the will of the Key bearer. After all, it had been the King's direct order for them to stay with him. The trio said their goodbyes to Leon and the others and made their way to the Second District. Cid had given instructions on how to get to the bell before he split ways with them and went to the First District.

It wasn't altogether too surprising that they encountered several groups of Heartless on the way. It seemed like they had gotten stronger since the last time they had battled in Traverse Town, and the Shadows had been joined by other kinds of Heartless. The small flying mushroom shaped ones had joined in the fight. They also saw a new kind of Heartless that were about as big as Sora, dressed from head to curled toe in brown leather pilot clothes and could float around. Even so, the trio was mostly unfazed by the change. They, too, had grown in strength since last time.

Only when they escaped from the interior of the death trap (which Sora now knew was really called the Gizmo Shop) did they truly feel exhausted. They sat side by side with their backs against the wall inside the shop for a while, taking in slow, deep breaths. Goofy's head drooped, and it seemed as though he had fallen asleep right away. Sora found himself deep in thought, thinking about all of the many strange and sometimes wondrous things that he had gone through so far. Donald was holding his staff upright in the air, staring fixatedly at its tip as though he was trying to figure something out. Sora's attention soon drifted toward Donald, his curiosity peaking.

"Donald, what're you doing?"

Without looking away, Donald answered him slowly. "Tryin' to get this spell to work."

"What spell?"

"A healing spell. Now _shh_!"

The boy still didn't quite understand what was going on, but he decided to look at Donald's staff as well. They both sat for a while, staring at it, until it finally began to glow a pale green color. The light slowly began to grow in intensity, and Donald waved the staff slowly from side to side to make sure that it wouldn't go away. He then rose to his feet, still holding his magic staff firmly in front of him. Then, crossing to the other side of the room, aimed his staff at Goofy and fired the white-green light at Goofy.

This beam of light was different from the kind that Sora had learned to associate with the Blizzard attack. This one traveled a bit slower and somehow seemed to move in a more carefree manner (if such a thing were really possible). It still bee lined straight for Goofy, making his entire body glow a pale green for a brief moment before finally fading away, leaving a faint twinkling of lights behind.

Ever so slowly, Goofy peeled his eyes open, and then yawned loudly and stretched as though he had been in a comfortable, sound sleep for several hours. He grinned at Donald and Sora and waved.

"G'mornin', fellas!"

Sora blinked. "Uh, hey Goofy. Feeling better?"

He nodded his head vigorously. "Never been better!"

Donald cheered happily. "It worked!"

As Sora gave Donald a congratulatory pat on the back, Goofy rose to his feet and scratched the back of his head in confusion. "What worked?"

The court wizard proceeded to use his newfound Cure spell to heal himself and Sora before they decided to continue on their way. They pushed open the doors at the back and exited the Gizmo shop, winding up in the small, narrow alleyway behind it. Cid had told them that the bell was on the roof, so there had to be a way to get up there. Goofy was the one who found a ladder propped up against the wall, leading to the roof. They then grabbed hold of the rungs and climbed up, Sora going first, Donald right behind him, and Goofy taking up the rear.

They clambered up to the rooftop, Sora helping Donald and Goofy as they each arrived, and then looked around. The rooftop was completely flat. There was next to nothing to look at, not counting the view of Traverse Town. There was a small set of archways near the edge of the roof, facing out toward the district. Each of the pillars that comprised the arches bore a small, faded etching of a bell. On the other side of the roof were two large, wooden crates, leaning against the side of another building that looked (from what could be seen from where they stood) something like a church with its large, stained glass windows lined all the way down the side of the building. There was something similar to a doorway, the front of which was completely covered in large, wooden boards.

The trio looked around them cautiously, half expecting more Heartless to appear. Then, once it was decided that it was safe, Sora moved toward the boarded up area.

"Hey, what're you doin', Sora?" Goofy called after him.

"Aerith said that the bell's all boarded up," he replied with a calm shrug.

"You're actually looking for the bell?" Donald asked him incredulously.

"What? You didn't think I was serious?"

Goofy shrugged his shoulders. "Not really."

"Of course not!" the duck retorted quickly, folding his arms over his chest.

Sora laughed. "Well, I was! I wanna know what'll happen if we ring the bell three times."

"Your curiosity is gonna get us all in trouble," Donald warned. "_Again_."

The Key bearer just shrugged and smiled. Sora tried to peer into the doorway through the cracks in the wood. He managed to see the faint glimmer of something shiny deep within the shadows. That had to be the bell. They had to get to it. If they had to, then they'd knock the boards down. Sora leaned against the wooden boards, pressing his weight against them to see how strong they were. He grinned when he felt the planks bend slightly and spun around to look at his friends.

"The bell's behind here. Looks like we've gotta break through the wood."

Donald tilted his head to one side. "Break through? How?"

Sora looked at him and smiled apologetically. "Remember how we got through that other wooden fence thing? The one in the alleyway?"

The duck quacked loudly in angry surprise. "_No way _we're doing _that _again! No! I _refuse_!"

* * *

The planks of wood snapped into pieces as Goofy rammed all of their combined weight into the barrier. Donald tumbled forward onto the floor, Sora following suit and falling on top of Donald, and Goofy piling on top of them last. The duck wheezed grumpily as Goofy and Sora quickly picked themselves up and dusted off. 

"I hate you guys."

Goofy frowned. "Aww, don't say that, Donald."

Meanwhile, Sora was much too distracted by what he had found inside the darkened doorway. Hanging about four feet over their heads was a large golden bell with an old, worn rope dangling from it at about eye level with Sora. He reached over and touched the rope gingerly before slowly gripping it in one hand. He then took a deep breath and pulled down on it.

The large bell rumbled in place, bits of dust and rotted wood raining down on their heads. Donald quacked loudly as a small strip of wood struck the top of his head. Goofy pulled out his shield and slowly placed it over him. Sora smiled slightly to himself as he took the rope into both hands and pulled at it as hard as he could. Donald and Goofy quickly escaped from the narrow doorway as its entire frame shook from the vibration of the bell. They scrambled back out toward the edge of the roof, Goofy nearly slipping over the edge.

And that's when they saw it. As the bell began to ring melodiously, rumbling the surrounding buildings slightly, something was happening to the fountain at the other end of the district. Orange and red flames suddenly began to dance on the water's surface, licking the bottom edge of the tile mosaic. An image of brightly colored flowers decorated the centerpiece fixated in the wall. Then suddenly, the mosaic shifted, spinning around in place to reveal another side of itself. The new image was a tile mural depicting an underwater scene. Several fish, eels, and even a bright red-orange crab could be seen weaving in and out of the long green seaweed. The block settled into its new position with a loud click and thud, the flames quickly dying out.

Donald and Goofy drew in awed breaths, their eyes wide. "Ahyuk."

Sora stood frozen for a moment, waiting for something to happen. When nothing came, he let out a disappointed breath and released the rope from his grip. He then glanced at his companions, only to find them staring over the edge of the roof, frozen in place. Scratching his head in confusion, he took a few steps toward them.

"Guys, what're you—"

"Pull the rope again!"

Sora stopped in place and blinked. "W-What?"

The two turned to look sharply at Sora. "C'mon, Sora, just _do _it!"

He was definitely surprised to have seen such a demand coming out of Goofy's mouth. Every now and again, Goofy said something seriously. Like an order, or something that sounded unusually wise. It was still difficult to get used to. With a shrug of his shoulders, Sora moved back into the doorway and took the rope back into his hands.

"Man, I feel like the bell ringer of a church doing this…"

He then pulled down on the rope once again as hard as he could and immediately hurried to join Donald and Goofy at the roof edge.

The carved decoration that outlined the tile mosaic around the fountain suddenly began to glimmer and light up, as though they were really small, colorful light bulbs. They all lit up in waves, one set after the other, like an electric pulse was surging through them. At the same time, the mosaic spun around again, revealing yet another hidden side of it. The new picture was of two green, leafless trees standing side by side in the midst of a blue gray forest. Their long branches stretched up into the sky and intermingled, binding the two trees together. Nestled in by the roots of both trees were two small, brown mushrooms. As soon as the mosaic clicked into place, the lights around the fountain blinked out.

"Ohhh, _I _see. _Now _I get it."

Both Donald and Goofy looked up and saw Sora standing behind them, his arms over his head as he watched what happened at the fountain. He nodded knowingly to himself for a moment and then glanced at his two companions. "Why didn't you guys just _tell _me something was happening?"

The duck and dog looked at each other, not quite knowing what to say in response. They opened and shut their mouths for a while, their minds racing to come up with something. They really didn't know why they hadn't just told him. Sora rolled his eyes with a grin as he turned on the ball of his foot and went back to the bell.

"Oh well. Let's go for a third time!"

Goofy grinned. "Maybe the legend _is _true, and something really _will _appear."

"Let's just hope it's nothing _bad_," Donald said with a grunt.

Goofy and Sora both nodded in agreement. Sora moved back toward the bell and grabbed hold of the rope. He drew in a deep breath and pulled down on it one more time.

"Sanctuary!" he shouted out with a playful grin. "_Sanctuary_!"

Donald spun around to look at Sora and began to hop up and down in place, one hand clenched into a tight fist. "Would you _quit _it?"

The boy quickly moved to join Donald and Goofy, still grinning playfully. Then all of them turned their attention back toward the fountain. This time, several jets of water shot upward from within the fountain. The water rained back down noisily, a thin cloud of mist forming around the fountain as once again, the mural changed. It spun around to reveal another face. This mosaic was of a single solitary rose blossom, surrounded entirely by butterflies of varying colors.

The image was only there for a moment before the mist grew slightly thicker and something _else _began to happen. The mosaic suddenly changed again. The entire mural began to glow a deep blue violet color, and a large keyhole appeared in the center of it. The water jets suddenly stopped spouting, and the mist thinned out and ultimately dissipated into the air. The trio jumped to their feet in unison, their jaws dropping visibly and their eyes growing wide.

Traverse Town had a keyhole after all.

* * *

Together they descended from the rooftop and walked toward the fountain on the other side of the district. Having defeated the majority of the Heartless that usually inhabited the area, they had no problems getting there. But they walked on in complete, anxious silence. They each shared the same feeling; the feeling that something was about to happen. Again. 

They came to a halt about ten feet away from the fountain. They merely stood there, staring at the keyhole as though waiting for it to tell them something.

"I wonder why that bell was boarded up," Sora wondered out loud.

"Good question," Donald said quietly. "I'd like to know, too."

The captain of the guard was just confused.

After a long, tense moment of silence, they slowly moved forward. The fountain and the keyhole weren't far now. Sora could probably lock the keyhole from where he was standing. He glanced cautiously around him before pulling out the Keyblade. Donald and Goofy watched him carefully as he raised the weapon into the air. He was just about to aim it at the keyhole… when it happened.

The entire set of armor that they had been forced to fight before had suddenly fallen from the sky, plopping down with a heavy thud in the space between the trio and the keyhole. Its head piece was still the last to fall, dropping on top of the armor. The pieces of purple armor clanked together as they moved slightly forward, having already assembled into proper formation. The trio jumped backward slightly and looked up at the guard armor in shocked annoyance.

"_This _guy _again_!" Donald quacked as he pulled out his staff.

Goofy groaned sadly. "I thought we beat this thing already!"

"We'll just have to take him down again, then."

The trio charged forward, their weapons raised in the air. They immediately began to bash in the guard armor's feet and lower torso, this time without hesitation or doubt in their minds. They worked quickly, remembering how they had won last time. And it wasn't long before the armor collapsed in a heap, falling loudly to the floor. The trio needed to jump back in order to avoid being crushed beneath the pieces. They each stared at the armor in surprise.

"That was… easy," Sora mumbled, still in shock.

Donald narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his weapon. "_Too _easy."

The Key Bearer nodded in agreement. They both fell silent, their gaze still set firmly on the pieces of armor lying across the ground. Goofy looked at each of his companions in turn, confused, before deciding to do exactly as they were.

"Yeah," he agreed, speaking to no one in particular as he turned to glare at the armor.

Both Donald and Sora looked over at Goofy slowly, their eyebrows raised skeptically. When Goofy didn't return their looks, they looked to each other and shook their heads sadly.

After what seemed like forever, the pieces began to twitch and shake. They started to rattle loudly for a moment, and then all at once, everything flew back up and formed the guard armor once again. The trio got into their fighting stances, ready to make another charge at the armor. And that's when things started to take a turn for the worst.

The armor planted its hands down on the ground in front of it and began to perform some sort of handstand. Everything began to invert; its hands became its feet, its feet became its hands, and even the torso flipped over in place. The head flipped around too, floating over the torso as it did so, and then settled into its new spot on what was once the bottom of the torso. The feet made adjustments to become more hand-like as the face guard on the head popped down, revealing the glowing yellow eyes within.

Sora swallowed hard, his eyes having grown wide yet again. "That can't be good."

The opposite armor readied itself immediately, extending its new arms forward and performing a full body ram, dragging its legs over the ground as it flew across the area. The trio jumped and rolled out of the way, yelling out loud. The armor then swung itself around in a U-turn and came back for them, and this time managed to knock Goofy and Sora flat on their backs. Sora groaned as he raised himself slowly, rubbing the sore spot in the small of his back.

"_Definitely_ not good."

As the armor swung around again, Goofy and Sora scrambled out of the way, Sora's back pressing against the wall near the fountain… and the keyhole. Sora's eyes grew wide as an idea struck him.

"_Maybe if I lock the keyhole, then this thing will disappear!"_

He jumped forward and ran toward the front of the fountain, pointing the tip of the Keyblade at the keyhole. Nothing happened. Sora was confused, looking down at the Keyblade in alarm. He gritted his teeth and tried again, readjusting his position. Still nothing. Sora frowned.

"This isn't going the way I want it to," he muttered, disappointed.

His disappointment gradually escalated to just short of all out panic. The armor made a sudden charge straight at him and the Key Bearer was knocked painfully into the wall. He fell to the floor with a pained groan, the Keyblade still tight in his hands. After a moment, he raised himself slowly, shaking his head in order to snap himself out of his funk. He looked first at the Keyblade, then at the keyhole and sighed.

"_Maybe I should've locked it while the armor was just a pile on the floor."_

Shoving the thought out of his mind, Sora ran at the opposite armor and slashed wildly at it, joining the brawl. Donald was hitting it with every magic spell he knew while Sora went completely berserk, relentlessly barraging the armor with his flurry of attacks. As for Goofy, he kept turning himself into a tornado and spinning around wildly with his shield stretched out, whacking the armor viciously every time it came into contact with him. However, it was almost as though the armor was somehow deflecting their attacks, as nothing seemed to faze it.

Goofy jumped back slightly and frowned, swallowing hard. "Are we winning? I can't tell."

"Neither can I," Sora answered with a frown as he swung the Keyblade once again. "Man, I hate this thing. It can _fly_!"

"Got any bright ideas on how to beat it, Sora?" Donald asked gruffly.

Sora made a face. "I thought of the last one! It's _your _turn."

"Why _me_?"

"Because you asked for one," Goofy laughed.

"Gee, _thanks_," Donald groaned.

Goofy glanced at his friends. "Well for now, we'll just keep hitting it, right?"

Both Donald and Sora nodded in agreement. For now, that's all that they _could _do.

After a while of taking whatever damage the trio dealt to it, the opposite armor separated its pieces into groups. The arms that had once been legs floated off in one direction, with the head floating in between them, leaving the rest of the body to continue trying to ram the trio into the surrounding walls. Sora jumped back, running up the nearby set of stairs, and watched the head and arms to see what they would do. His eyes went wide when he saw the head suddenly begin to create wide circles in the air, spinning so quickly that it looked something like the blade of a large circular saw. They went even wider when he saw it heading straight for where Donald and Goofy were struggling with the torso and arms.

"Guys! Look out behind you!"

They exchanged confused looks before glancing behind them, just in time to see the helmet coming toward them. They yelled in terror for a moment and then jumped out of the way of danger. They breathed an audible sigh of relief as the head stopped spinning at last, and slowly returned to the rest of its body. The pieces slowly started to put themselves together, leaving the armor wide open for attack. Making use of the opportunity that had been created, Sora rushed down the railing on the stairs and leapt at the armor, the Keyblade gleaming in the dim lamplight. The Keyblade struck the torso, creating a large open cut in its side. Air rushed out of the gash with a hissing noise.

Donald and Goofy cheered victoriously as Sora rejoined them, coughing slightly from the strange smelling air that had come out of the cut in the armor. Donald looked at him oddly for a moment until he smelled it as well. He groaned, making a face and putting a hand over his nose.

"What's that _smell_?"

"No idea," Sora said with another cough. "But it came from the air inside the armor."

Donald looked over at the armor, his brow furrowed in confusion. The stench was vaguely familiar. Though he wasn't entirely sure where he had smelled it before.

The opposite armor didn't seem to care for the cut that Sora had created. It merely rearranged its pieces again, the torso raising itself slightly so that the bottom was visible to the trio. As they looked on, a bright light shone from deep within the torso, getting brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding. The trio seemed rooted to the spot, their eyes wide.

Sora panicked slightly. _"Just standing here probably isn't..."_

By the time the trio had realized what was going on, it was already too late. The light exploded outward from within the torso and shot straight at them.

_"Nope. Definitely wasn't a smart move."_

Sora cursed their bad luck. Of course it had been a light cannon! Why hadn't they been able to figure that out sooner? All three were sent careening backwards, flipping head over heels before finally hitting the concrete floor and screeching to a halt. The armor rearranged itself again, returning to normal, and began to walk slowly toward where the trio were lying on the ground, groaning with the pain of their numerous new cuts and scratches. Skidding across concrete flooring was definitely not good for their bodies.

Donald slowly raised his staff in the air, focusing his energy on his new healing spell. A pale green light slowly engulfed Donald's body as the spell went into effect. A smile crept across Donald's face as his strength and energy returned almost immediately, working faster and more efficiently than a Hi-Potion. He could practically feel his wounds and cuts heal in hyper speed. The duck then leapt to his feet and ran to his companions, using the spell on them as fast as he could.

By now, the armor had pretty much zeroed in on their location. Sora was happily thanking Donald for the help and picking himself up off the floor. In spite of the loud clanking noises that the opposite armor made as it moved, none of them had noticed it approach them. They had all been distracted; by the pain of their injuries at first, then by the sudden wash of relief that Donald had given them. Sora noticed the armor just in time to see it rear one arm back, ready to try and strike Donald and Goofy as they lay vulnerable on the floor. The arm was the first thing that Goofy saw when he reopened his eyes.

"DONALD! GOOFY!"

Sora dashed toward them, the Keyblade tight in his hands, and deflected the armor's incoming attack, knocking the offensive arm to the side. He must have hit it with an exceptional amount of strength, as it was knocked away from the rest of the armor and went sent flying into the nearest wall. Much to the surprise of the trio, the piece began to crumble apart. Sora blinked in surprise.

"W-Whoa…"

Donald and Goofy rose to their feet. "How'd you _do _that Sora?"

The boy slowly shook his head, completely shocked. Numerous cracks appeared in the armor's surface, and air began to hiss out from between them. A rancid stench followed, forcing the trio to cover their noses.

"It's that _smell _again!" Sora groaned. "What _is _that?"

Goofy wretched, his dog senses being maimed by the stench. "It smells like a _fart_!"

Sora made a face. "Oh, _that's _nice."

The duck narrowed his eyes. By now, Donald had already figured it out.

Eventually, the entire piece of armor vanished, turning to purple dust and dissipating into the atmosphere. Sora then glanced back at the armor in time to see the other arm coming toward him. He immediately rolled out of the way, Donald and Goofy also quickly dodging the attack. The trio then picked the battle up from where they had left off, their spirits rekindled and their bodies fully recharged.

Of course, that didn't mean that the battle was much easier. Though the armor had lost one of its pieces, it could still fly through the air, ram them into the walls, and shoot them with its light cannon. As the battle grew longer, however, the trio had figured out the armor's fighting pattern and had managed to formulate a plan. And soon enough, they set it into motion.

They quickly moved around the armor so that they were behind it, forcing it to either separate its pieces or turn itself around. Both Donald and Sora grinned when they saw that it had opted to turn around. The trio looked at each other and nodded before carrying out their plan. Sora ran at the opposite armor, taking advantage of the slow movements that it was making at the moment. Using the Keyblade, he quickly slashed at the torso, creating more cuts and gashes in its surface. The torso was knocked backwards somewhat, the foul smelling air rushing out of the armor between each cut.

Goofy rushed forward at the same time as Sora, and began to beat on the opposite armor's feet with his shield. He pounded on the armor in various spots, weakening its overall defense. His attacks began to shove the feet from side to side, positioning them in the exact place he wanted them to be. Throughout all of this, Donald had been readying himself by dowsing another Ether bottle.

The air inside the armor had to be a mix of methane and acetylene. And if Donald was remembering things correctly, acetylene was highly flammable, and adding fire to it would cause an explosion. The way Donald saw it, this was likely the best way to take the opposite armor down. He just hoped that nothing _else _was destroyed in the process.

Goofy quickly escaped from underneath the torso, the garlic smell becoming far too overwhelming for him. Sora dealt one final blow before retreating as well, hurrying toward Donald and Goofy. He came to a halt next to Donald and glanced back at the armor nervously.

"You sure this is gonna work?"

Donald took in a deep breath. "No."

Before Sora could even respond to what Donald said, a volley of fireballs had already escaped from the tip of the mage's staff. They bee-lined straight for the torso of the opposite armor – though not all of the balls of fire hit the torso itself. Upon contact with the invisible cloud of flammable gas, the air erupted into flame, exploding outward. The bright, burning light was somewhat blinding to look at and the trio had to shield their eyes from it.

Soon enough, the smoke began to clear, revealing the only survivors; the head and torso. They didn't survive for very long, however. Within mere moments, both remaining pieces began to shake violently, the sheets of beaten, heated up metal scratching against one another. The head suddenly dropped out of its orbit and landed on top of the torso with a loud clanging noise. Then both pieces began to glow with brilliant blue-violet lights and a glowing heart escaped from the depths of the helmet. As it drifted away into the night, the pieces of armor quickly crumbled and faded away.

Fortunately for the trio (and the rest of Traverse Town), the explosion had been just big enough to destroy the opposite armor. The flames had only managed to lick the edges of the stone balconies, and the town managed to get away with minimal damage. Sora, Donald, and Goofy exchanged glances before making their way back toward the keyhole in silence.

As soon as Sora had gotten within five feet of it, the tile mosaic flashed its brilliant blue glow once more before dimming slightly. The Key Bearer drew in a deep, calming breath before raising the Keyblade and aiming it at the exposed keyhole. Right away, the end of the Keyblade glowed bright blue, and small stars appeared out of thin air and gathered around it. The Keyhole responded to this by outlining itself in a deep blue glow, and almost instantly, the Keyblade shot a beam of light at it.

After a brief moment, a loud clicking noise was heard from within, and the keyhole stopped glowing completely. It then flashed blue one last time before cracks appeared on it and the keyhole seemed to crumble away and vanish into blue dust. The trio watched as everything vanished, and the tile mosaic of butterflies that had lain hidden underneath was revealed to the world once again.

Sora let out an audible sigh of relief. "_Man_, that was tiring…"

Goofy nodded in agreement as he walked toward the fountain and peered into the shallow water. The court wizard also let out a loud breath as he seated himself on the ledge of the fountain.

"You're tellin' _me_."

Meanwhile, Goofy had found something lying beneath the surface of the fountain water. He reached one gloved hand into the water and picked it up, examining it closely, and then turned to the others to show them what he had found.

"Look fellas! It's another one of those navigation gummis!"

His companions looked up at Goofy, and then peered at the item in his hand. They both smiled.

"Hey, you're right!" Donald said, getting a closer look at the gummi block.

"Good going, Goofy!" Sora told him, giving Goofy a congratulatory pat on the shoulder.

Goofy scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed gesture. "Gawrsh, it was nothin'."

"Which _reminds _me," Sora added, thumping a fist into the palm of his other hand. "We're supposed to go talk to Cid!"

"Oh yeah!" said Goofy, putting the navigation gummi away. He then laughed. "I sure hope he doesn't mind that we took a long time."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Just so it's clear, this chapter is named after a song from the FF8 soundtrack. I had a different title before, but I changed it 'cause I didn't think it was working too well. 

This was a very difficult chapter to write. I know the scene with Donald testing out Cure was kinda awkward, but I needed to somehow explain it... Bah, whatever. It was brief anyway. And thanks to a session of insane boredom in the school library, I managed to write the entire Opposite Armor battle in a shot. Not sure how I came up with the idea of flammable gases being inside the armor, but it worked, right? ... Right?


	18. Sentimental Star Journey

**_Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko_**

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts at all. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay, people! I've been pretty stuck in my writing lately, but I've finally managed to pull through. And now... we update! yay!

Thanks for all your summon time suggestions! They're very much appreciated. I _am _going to do a 100 Acre Woods chapter (a few of 'em, actually... little inbetween things maybe), so no worries about that. It's just going to have to wait for a while. As much as I would _love _to include "The Rain Rain Rain Came Down Down Down", it's the only one out of those songs that I can't find a place for. But if you can suggest one, then I'll see what I can do. :D Adding the optional bosses is a _very _intriguing idea. I can actually think of how to put some of 'em in there, particularly the Phantom... the others seem a _little _bit harder, probably because it means Sora-_tachi _would have to go out of their way to head back to a specific world, but I'm sure I can think of something. Especially for Sephiroth (I love to hate that guy).

That's enough of that. On with the new chapter!

Oh, one more thing: The last few sections of this chapter are prone to change. Keep an eye on it. :P

**

* * *

**

_**Chapter 17  
**_**Sentimental Star Journey**

_Traverse Town_

Cid turned on the trio furiously the moment they walked through the entrance to the First District. He folded his arms over his chest and snorted loudly.

"_Took _ya long enough! Here I was, waitin' and waitin'. I was startin' to think that maybe you three got lost on the way over here!"

Both Sora and Goofy laughed nervously at Cid's reaction. The old store clerk huffed for a while before finally turning away. That's when the trio noticed: Cid wasn't inside his shop. They were actually standing right in front of what Sora had previously assumed to be an abandoned shop stand. But the lights on the sign had been switched on and the once empty display was now filled with gummi blocks of every color, shape, and size. Donald and Goofy gaped at the variety that could be seen before them.

"What's with all these gummis, Cid?"

The shop keeper was caught off guard and he turned to look back at the trio once again. His arrogant grin soon returned to his face as he put his fists on his hips.

"Well, now you know!" he laughed. "I'm in the gummi block business." He then relaxed and drew in a breath. "Workin' on your Gummi ship sure was great. Come again and I'll give you a big discount. Oh, and here." Cid reached into the display case and picked up a brick-red block, which he handed to Donald with a smile.

"Go ahead, take it. It's a special give away."

Everyone looked at the gummi block, their eyes wide. At length, Donald turned back to Cid and thanked him before taking his leave, gesturing for the others to follow him. Sora and Goofy also said their goodbyes to Cid quickly and then hurried to keep up with Donald.

"So… What now?" Goofy wanted to know.

"I gotta restock," Donald told his friends matter of factly. "I'm out of Hi-Potions and low on Ethers. So I thought I'd stop by the shop before we take off."

"Somehow, I don't think Chip will want to be kept waiting for much longer."

The duck shrugged. "Ah, I can handle that little chipmunk."

"No, Donald. You should _see _how impatient he's getting. Dale and I are getting pretty scared."

Donald came to a halt right in front of the shop. The person who had just talked to him was not Goofy. Nor was it Sora. He immediately spun around on his heel to ask them who had spoken, only to see Sora and Goofy pointing at the culprit; a small cricket in a tuxedo and top hat with a small red umbrella in one hand, perched on Sora's shoulder.

"Jiminy! What are you doing here?"

The cricket sighed and shook his head slowly. "Like I said, Chip's impatience was getting to be a bit too much for me. So I thought I'd look for you three."

Sora and Goofy looked at one another and nodded.

"Then we probably shouldn't keep him waiting," Sora said. "Maybe we should go back to the ship and get a move on."

Donald scoffed. "I'm not going back without more supplies. He'll just have to wait."

With that, Donald pushed open the doors to the Accessory Shop and entered. Sora groaned, somewhat annoyed, and followed Donald inside. Jiminy sighed as he sat on Sora's shoulder and tried to look on the bright side. At least when Chip gave his routine scolding, it wouldn't just be him and Dale anymore. And at least he couldn't say that he hadn't tried.

"Donald!" Sora called as he entered the shop. "Come on, we really should be… going…"

His voice trailed off when he caught sight of something (or was it some_one_?) crouched in the corner of the shop. For a moment, nobody moved as they stared at it, trying to figure out what it could be. It looked something like a small wooden puppet in the form of a young boy. He was wearing a short-sleeved yellow shirt with a white collar and a light blue bow tie just beneath. Over that was a black vest and a pair of short red overalls with shiny golden buttons and a pattern of small green crosses running down the sides. On top of the puppet's dark hair, pressed to his scalp by white gloved hands, was a large beige hat with a blue strap and a feather tucked into it. His entire outfit looked somewhat Italian in origin. As soon as Jiminy saw him, he jumped to his feet and smiled.

"Well, well, as I live and breathe!" Jiminy said with an amused chuckle. "If it isn't _Pinocchio_!"

The trio looked at Jiminy in surprise as he hopped down from Sora's shoulder and landed lightly on the wooden floor. They then looked to each other as though they were asking one another how the cricket could possibly recognize a puppet.

The puppet dropped his hands and raised his head slightly so he could see who had spoken to him. When he saw the small cricket standing just a few inches away from him, he smiled.

"Oh! Hi, Jiminy!"

Three sets of eyes went wide at the same time as their jaws visibly dropped open. The puppet… could talk. Not only that, it could move of its own free will. It was like something out of a horror movie. Jiminy, on the other hand, seemed to be quite familiar with the puppet, as he was completely unfazed.

"What in the world are you doing down _here_?" he asked him.

"Um…" Pinocchio thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Playing hide-and-seek."

The cricket lowered his eyes to the floor and began to pace in circles, shaking his head and making emphatic gestures with his hands. "I just don't believe it. And here I was, up all night, just worried _sick _about you. Why of all the–" Here Jiminy looked up at Pinocchio only to jump back in surprise. "_Pinocchio_!"

Jiminy wasn't the only one who had jumped back in surprise. Because as soon as Jiminy had begun to pace the floor, Pinocchio's nose had suddenly grown, lengthening straight out of his face with a small glittering of lights. It was safe to say that none of them had been expecting something like _that _to happen. Pinocchio was staring at his new, slightly longer nose in confusion, his blue eyes crossed, making him look even sillier.

The cricket screwed up his face angrily. "Pinocchio! Are you telling me the truth?"

Pinocchio nodded his head. "Yes!"

His nose suddenly gained another two inches in length.

Jiminy narrowed his eyes at the puppet. He then glanced to the side, noticing a small box lying on the floor just a few inches away from Pinocchio. The cricket pointed at it, looking back at Pinocchio.

"Then tell me, what is _this_?" he demanded.

Pinocchio's eyes darted from Jiminy, to the box, then back to Jiminy. "It was a present."

His nose instantly doubled in length. Small branches and leaves had grown on its tip.

"No fibbing, now!" Jiminy shouted, hopping up onto the puppet's feet and pointing the tip of his umbrella at the puppet. "You _know _you're not supposed to tell lies. A lie only grows and grows, 'til you get caught!" He then tapped the tip of his umbrella on the tip of Pinocchio's elongated nose. "Plain as the nose on your face!"

The puppet tilted his head to one side, confused. "But if you want something, why wait? Why not just _take _it?"

Jiminy suddenly looked as though he had never been more shocked in his life. "Oh, my! Who told you _that_? You need some advice from your conscience!"

The trio exchanged confused glances. What did his conscience have to do with anything?

Pinocchio smiled. "That's right! _You're _my conscience, Jiminy!" Sora's jaw dropped open for the second time within ten minutes. "I'll never tell lies as long as you're around."

With that, the puppet's nose reverted to normal, shrinking back into his face with another twinkling of lights. Both cricket and puppet smiled at this, Pinocchio tapping the tip of his nose with one finger as though to make sure it was back to normal.

Jiminy nodded, hopping down from Pinocchio's foot. "You need to be good so you can become a _real _boy. You promised Geppetto you would be, right?"

"Oh! Do you know where Father is?"

The cricket turned to look at Pinocchio, surprised. "He's not with you?"

Pinocchio suddenly looked very worried. He rose to his feet. "Jiminy, let's go find Father!"

"Now, hold on!" Jiminy said, raising one hand in the air, as though he were stopping him. "There are all sorts of dangers and temptations out there! I'll go find Geppetto, so you just wait here." He then gestured toward Sora, Donald, and Goofy. "These fellows here will be helping me."

All three of them were taken aback. Sora blinked in surprise. "We _will_?"

The cricket nodded cheerily, smiling up at him. He then hopped back up onto Sora's shoulder and sat down. "Well, shall we go, Sora?"

Sora looked over at Pinocchio, who smiled up at him hopefully. He sighed in defeat and smiled back before turning back to Jiminy with an annoyed face.

"You could've _asked _us first…"

* * *

"So Jiminy… You're Pinocchio's… _conscience_?" 

The cricket had busied himself once again by quickly jotting down notes into his notebook. This time he had drawn a rough sketch of Pinocchio's face along with whatever he was writing. As soon as Sora had spoken to him he looked up into Sora's face, adjusting his spectacles, and then smiled softly.

"That's right. The Blue Fairy herself appointed _me _as Pinocchio's official conscience. It's my job to teach him right from wrong and to be his guide. And if he can prove himself to be brave, truthful, and unselfish, then he can become a _real _boy!"

Goofy laughed slightly. "Sounds pretty tough!"

"Sure does," Donald agreed with a slight scoff. "We're just meant to keep Sora company, and that's hard enough!"

Sora looked over at Donald sharply. "Hey!"

Donald merely grinned, relishing in Sora's annoyance as he headed toward the next shop. He was still in dire need of Hi-Potions and especially Ethers. Donald was generally quite familiar with the inhabitants of Traverse Town, so he pretty much knew where to go.

He pushed open the doors to the Item Shop and surveyed the store. Donald had opened up the side entrance and had stepped out onto the top of a small flight of wooden stairs. From there he had a perfect view of everything that went on in the shop. The Item Shop wasn't much bigger in size than the main room of the Accessory Shop. The walls were all painted a faded yellow green color, except for the lower fourth (which was covered in wood). Posters, banners, and paintings of all kinds decorated their surface. Some of the older decorations had begun to peel slightly off the walls, flapping in the faint breeze that circulated the room due to the large ceiling fan.

In the corner of the opposite wall was the counter, behind which was a large shelf that was filled with various bottles of different kinds of potions and assorted miscellaneous items. Hanging directly above the shelf was a bright neon sign that read "Items", along with several images of different kinds of food and materials. Right next to the counter was a metal weighing scale and a blackboard sign, which currently had "Welcome!" written neatly on its surface in white chalk.

Behind the counter, next to the shelf, three young ducks dressed in red, green and blue were stacking items into the shelves. The duck in red was currently holding a variety of items in his arms, which he was carefully placing onto the higher shelves. The duck dressed in green was standing on a small chair that he had evidently pulled up next to the shelf and was supporting the duck in red on his shoulders. The duck in blue had both hands on the chair, keeping it still in place as he watched the other ducks carefully as they worked.

Donald grinned at the sight of them. "Hey boys!"

"Hi fellas!" Goofy greeted them cheerfully.

All three of them looked up at Donald at once, their eyes going wide with surprise and smiles crossing their faces. Donald's grin widened and Goofy waved at them, a cheerful expression on his face. Sora looked at Donald first, then at Goofy, somewhat surprised to find out that they all knew one another. He turned to the cricket for an explanation, but before Jiminy could even answer, the boys responded.

"Unca Donald!" they quacked in unison.

Sora was shocked. "_UNCLE_?" he echoed.

Almost instantly, everything that the duck in red had been holding in his arms began to tumble to the stone floor. Everything rained onto the head of the one dressed in blue, forcing him to cover his head with his arms and let go of the chair. This caused the chair to move slightly, making the duck in green slip, and both he and the duck in red fell to the floor. Everyone winced at the sight of the three young ducks falling on top of one another on the ground. The ground shook slightly, and everyone held their breath for a moment as some of the items on the shelf began to wobble precariously in place, threatening to tumble from their spots and rain on top of the ducks. They soon settled back into place, and the boys began to carefully pick themselves up off the ground.

Donald descended the stairs proudly, swinging his arms at his sides as he led the way into the shop. The others trailed behind him, Sora in a mild daze.

"Donald's an _uncle_? How does that even _work_?"

"Doesn't seem like it fits, does it?" Jiminy mused along with him. "Well, life comes with all _sorts _of surprises."

Goofy looked at them and blinked. "Ya don't think he can be an uncle?"

"He doesn't really seem like the type," Sora said with a shrug.

The captain of the guard laughed. "Well, wouldja believe that I'm a dad?"

Both Sora's and Jiminy's eyes grew wide. "_YOU'RE A DAD_?"

"Ahyuk! Sure am! Someday I'll introduce ya!"

He then pat Sora lightly on the back and then hurried to join Donald. The duck was just helping his nephews to their feet when Sora stopped a few feet away, watching him with wide eyes. Donald glanced over his shoulder toward Sora and Jiminy.

"Lemme introduce you guys. These three are my nephews. My sister's boys."

The duck dressed in red pointed to himself proudly. "I'm Huey!"

The duck dressed in blue pointed to himself as well. "I'm Dewey!"

The duck dressed in green smiled and waved. "And I'm Louie!"

Sora raised his eyebrows, somewhat amused. "Wow, your names all rhyme."

"Triplets," Donald said with a shrug. He then turned his attention back on the ducks. "Have you boys been watching the store properly?"

All three of them grinned. "Sure have!"

At this, Jiminy leapt to his feet in shock. "You mean, just you three boys are in charge of this store? All by yourselves? No adult supervision whatsoever?"

Dewey made a face, taking offense. "Just because we're kids doesn't mean we can't run a business," he said, wagging one finger in the air.

Sora nodded at that, understanding their feelings completely. He then turned on Jiminy with a wry smile. "Just because they're kids doesn't mean they can't do any grown up stuff."

Having been cornered and unable to reply, the cricket immediately sat back down on Sora's shoulder and continued to write in his notebook. Sora would have laughed, except he was aware that if he laughed too much, Jiminy could fall from his shoulder.

"Sure is good to see you, Unca Donald!" Dewey continued, turning back to his uncle. "Buy a bunch from us!" He then gestured proudly toward the items on the shelves. "I hand-picked everything on these shelves. We carry only the best!"

"Really?" Donald asked, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. "The best, huh?"

As Donald moved closer toward the counter to peruse the various items in the shelf (and in the pile that had been made on the floor), Dewey hopped up onto the counter top and watched his uncle carefully. The other two busied themselves in other ways; Louie began to pick up everything that had fallen to the floor and put it back on the shelves, while Huey moved around the counter, a large broom in hand, and began to sweep the floor. Sora, Jiminy, and Goofy all watched as they worked, impressed.

"So, what do you fellas do with the munny you earn?" Goofy asked Huey.

The duck in red tipped up the brim of his cap so that he could see everyone properly. He glanced over at his brothers for a moment before looking back at Goofy and answering.

"We're gonna earn enough munny here to go on our own adventure," he told them with a proud nod. His eyes then widened and he immediately directed his attention to Donald. "Sorry, Unca Donald! No family discounts!"

Donald spun around to look at Huey, his jaw dropping. "Why not?"

Everyone began to laugh heartily at Donald's expense. The duck fumed slightly, making a mental note to yell at Sora and Goofy later. Afterwards, the triplets returned to their work. Dewey continued to prompt his uncle for what he was looking to buy. Donald turned on Dewey and tried to negotiate with him, but Dewey resisted stubbornly, still smiling.

"Not even a _little _bit?"

"No can do."

"But I'm your uncle!"

"No family discounts."

"But I'm your _favorite _uncle."

Dewey's smile stretched. "That's what _you _think."

Donald narrowed his eyes. He was going to have to resort to blackmail.

"I'll send you back to your Unca Scrooge's place."

"Like we'd complain about _that_," chipped in Huey from across the room.

"Yeah," Dewey continued. "Unca Scrooge takes us on _adventures_."

Their uncle glanced over at Huey in annoyance, then turned back to Dewey. "Your mother's."

From the other side of the room came the sound of Louie's hearty laughter. "Yeah, right!"

"Like you even know where she is."

The court wizard fumed. Huey, Dewey, and Louie grinned at each other, pleased with their own resilience. Sora watched the scene play out in amusement for a while, pleased with Donald's annoyance. It felt like the triplets were delivering the vengeance that Sora had been planning for the duck. Sora then sighed, somewhat exhausted, realizing for the first time just how tired he was.

"Aw, just _pay _him, Donald," Sora told Donald, pulling out the bag of munny that Aerith had given them before and peering inside. "I'm pretty sure we have enough."

Sora closed the bag again and tossed it to Donald. The duck caught the bag and held it in his hands for a moment, hesitant to pull out the munny. Instead of paying right away, he and Dewey locked themselves into a staring contest. Sora and Goofy looked at one another and sighed, exasperated. After a long moment of silence, Donald blinked, losing the contest. Dewey and his brothers all grinned and cheered at their victory. Goofy and Sora laughed quietly as Donald begrudgingly pulled out the munny and handed it over to his nephews.

"Unca Scrooge would be proud of your stinginess," Donald muttered under his breath as he tucked away everything he had bought and turned on his heel to leave.

As soon as Donald's back was turned to them, the three boys each raspberried their uncle in unison, making a loud noise as they did so. The duck turned on them, spinning around almost immediately. Sora could hardly help but be impressed by the speed with which the triplet pranksters returned to what they had been doing. Donald eyed them suspiciously before turning around to leave again, muttering something threateningly under his breath. Goofy followed him out calmly. Sora began to follow as well, glancing over his shoulder and grinning at the triplets.

"Thanks for the stuff, guys," he said.

Huey, Dewey, and Louie all grinned back. "You're welcome!"

He moved toward the door slightly and then looked back at the ducks. After a moment of silence, they all began to laugh and snicker at Donald's expense. As Sora exited the Item Shop and rejoined Donald and Goofy outside, Jiminy whapped the side of Sora's head with his umbrella.

"Hey!" Sora complained, looking down at Jiminy. "That _hurt_!"

The cricket tut-tutted at Sora, wagging his finger in a scolding manner. "You shouldn't encourage their mischief, Sora!"

"Aw, it's just harmless fun, Jiminy," he said with a shallow shrug of his shoulders.

Sora smiled as memories began to bubble forth into his mind. The numerous pranks he had pulled with (and on) Riku back at home surfaced in his mind. Sora and the other boys on the island had probably done much worse than the triplet ducks. He laughed to himself quietly as he remembered when he and Tidus buried Riku in the sand while he was taking a nap on the beach. Sora would never forget how shocked Riku was when he woke up to find the tide coming in at eye level, and how hard they laughed at his expense.Andhe would never forgethow hard Riku hit them on the back of their heads once they finally helped him out.

Jiminy shook his head in disappointment. "It's all fun and games until someone loses an arm."

"But come on. Nobody gets seriously hurt from a _prank_."

Donald suddenly slowed in his step and shuddered visibly. Sora looked at him and blinked in confusion. Sora and Jiminy looked at Donald expectantly, each of them wanting to know why he had just shuddered the way he had. After a while, the duck glanced over his shoulder at Sora with a look in his eyes that was somewhere between threatening and terrifying.

"That's what _you _think."

The court wizard then resumed walking.

"What? What's he talking about?"

Goofy rested one hand on Sora's shoulder, shaking his head slowly. "You don't wanna know, Sora."

Still not used to Goofy's occasional outbursts of solemnity, Sora and Jiminy exchanged confused looks.

* * *

As had become the custom, Chip gave the group a right good scolding. This time, the shrill, high pitched yelling seemed to be about making people wait and taking their sweet time when there was important business to be done. Jiminy had been right. Chip was _furious_. But Donald Duck was not the type to take orders from a chipmunk, and was quick to snap right back. The scolding session quickly turned into a heated argument between the two. 

Sora turned to Goofy. "This might take a while."

"Yup."

"Donald must _love _to argue."

Goofy laughed. "Ahyuk! Yeah! Especially with those two chipmunks!"

"_Really_?"

The captain just laughed again.

After a while, both Sora and Goofy began to tune out the sound of Donald's and Chip's voices and their minds began to wander. And as the argument dragged on, Sora and Goofy slowly made their way into the cockpit and sat down in their respective seats while waiting for Donald. Their voices could still be heard all the way from the cockpit as the fight continued. Sora, having nothing else to do while he waited, decided to pay some degree of attention to the argument while Goofy opted to take a nap. Jiminy had already run off somewhere, probably to continue writing things in his journal.

The next thing Sora was aware of was the humming sound of the Gummi ship's engines. A beeping noise came from somewhere on the control panel every now and then. Donald looked dutifully out the window from the driver's seat, only glancing at the control panel of the ship on occasion. He had noticed a few new features that Cid must have installed on their ship, such as the small radar screen and monitor, listing details of the worlds that they had already visited, such as its location and name. The duck smiled. Just as Cid had told them, the navigation gummis had completely upgraded their coordinate database.

Realizing dimly that he had fallen asleep, Sora rubbed his eyes and stretched his legs. He looked about him, slightly disoriented. Donald was busy driving the Gummi ship while Goofy appeared to be fast asleep. Sora then peered out the window. Apparently they had long since taken off and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. With a quiet yawn, Sora settled back into his chair, deciding to get back to sleep. Unfortunately, he found himself unable to do so and gave up. Instead, he turned to look out the window at the stars, resting his chin in his hand.

"What's wrong, Sora?"

He raised his head slightly and slowly looked toward Goofy, somewhat surprised. He then relaxed, replacing his chin in the palm of his hand and sighed. He hadn't realized that Goofy was awake. He had been sitting still for so long that he hadn't been able to tell.

"Goofy, you're up!" Donald quacked in surprise.

The captain merely laughed softly in response. Sora glanced at Donald. A small smile appeared on Sora's face as his blue eyes slowly drifted back to look out the glass window. Donald looked back at both of his companions.

"Can't sleep?"

"Guess so."

Goofy sighed. "Not a wink."

Once again, everyone fell silent. The duck's eyes were constantly flitting back and forth between the monitors on his dashboard and the front window. Donald soon glanced back at Sora.

"Just for the record… _I _came up with the idea this time."

Sora blinked. For a moment he was completely confused. He soon remembered that the court wizard was referring to the battle with the opposite armor. In the end, it was Donald's idea that defeated it. Sora smiled and nodded his head.

"Yeah, I know."

The duck smiled smugly. "Just making sure."

Still smiling, Sora settled himself into his seat and leaned back, a memory surfacing in his mind. He turned to stare out the window. "So… the score's tied one to one, huh?"

Both Donald and Goofy looked at Sora in confusion. "What?"

Sora laughed. "Nothing, nothing. Just… something that Riku and I used to do back home."

It sounded to Donald like the kid had suddenly gotten hit with a bad case of homesickness. He rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the expanse of space out the window before him.

"Let's get this straight, Sora. I'm _not _Riku."

For a long moment, Sora was silent. He continued to stare blankly out the glass, straight into the gleaming sea of stars.

"Yeah, I know," Sora said at length with a smile. "I mean, _nobody _could replace Riku and Kairi."

Another long moment of silence followed. Both of Sora's companions understood his feelings completely. At length, Goofy spoke up.

"They must be _real_ important to you, huh?" Goofy asked him, his tone quiet and sympathetic.

A nostalgic expression washed over Sora's face. "Yeah. Yeah, they are."

He shut his eyes for a moment, remembering the sunny days they had spent together on the island. Before they had even started to wonder about other worlds and Kairi's hometown. He remembered the countless hours that they had whittled away playing games on the beach. He could see everyone smiling at each other happily. Sora could even remember the feel of the cold sea water as they ran through it, splashing one another.

As Sora recalled what life on Destiny Islands had once been like, he began to miss it terribly. Suddenly, images of that horrible night, possibly the last time he would ever see the island, flashed in his mind. Sora gritted his teeth and shook his head vigorously, trying to force the memory out of his head. Then, letting out a long, drawn out breath, he opened his eyes and stared out the glass window again, allowing his mind to muse over what had happened in Traverse Town.

Goofy was going to ask the Key bearer more about his friends when he saw Sora's face turn slightly pale and his eyes go wide. He could ask Sora about those things later. Donald and Goofy looked at each other, both of them somewhat confused, and shrugged. As Goofy settled himself back into his seat, something that had been eating away at Donald came to mind.

"Hey, Sora." The duck paused for a moment, waiting for a response before he continued. "For some odd reason, I feel like we're being used or something. Don't you think that Leon and Cid would be able to do something more than just tell us what to do? If Cid has his own Gummi ship, shouldn't they be able to drive it somewhere?"

Still no response. Sora was far too engrossed in his own thoughts.

"You listening, Sora?"

His mind had just drifted over how he and Riku had been reunited in the middle of Third District. The way that his best friend had reacted to the news of Sora being the Keyblade master was _not _exactly how he had expected it to be.

Sora sighed. _"I was hoping that Riku would be happy for me... maybe even be impressed. Or something..."_

Goofy looked at Sora curiously, tilting his head to one side. "Sora?"

_"And... I really thought he would get along with Donald and Goofy. He wasn't exactly the nicest guy toward them... No wonder Donald got so mad. Of course, it wasn't like I made it any better... I wasn't really a very good friend to them at the time, either..."_

Sora frowned. "Riku…"

Donald looked back over his shoulder, only to see Sora staring sadly out the window, his fingers grazing the cool glass.

"Wonder if he was mad or something," he wondered aloud.

"Uh… Sora?"

The Key bearer withdrew his hand from the glass with a yawn, his eyes drooping as he stared out into the ocean of stars. "What was _with _him…?"

"Hey, _Sora_."

There was a long moment of silence before Sora's attention drifted toward Donald. He then glanced over at his companion out of the corner of his eye. His brow furrowed slightly as he looked at him in confusion.

"Huh? You say something?"

The duck sighed. "I was sayin' that, uh..." Donald clenched his jaw tightly as he realized that he forgot what he was going to say. "Nevermind!"

Goofy smiled slightly at the boy. "We'll wake you up when we arrive somewhere."

The Keyblade master merely nodded, yawned, and leaned back into his chair, allowing himself to drift off to sleep. In the meantime, Donald had spotted a strange portal dead ahead of the Gummi ship and pressed down on one of the buttons on the dashboard. He glanced back at his companions and was about to tell them that a rough ride was up ahead when he saw that Sora was fast asleep, a content expression on his face. Donald looked back out the window, somewhat annoyed with Sora.

* * *

_The little boy dragged the large plank of wood across the beach sand. It was a hot summer day, and every time the boy looked out toward the cool blue ocean he wanted to drop the wood and jump in. He screwed up his face and wiped the sweat from his brow._

"Is that…?"

_Putting the plank of wood down on the beach, he ran his hands through his spiky sand-colored hair as he looked out over the horizon. He grinned slightly, kicked off his sandals, and then stepped into the sea water. For a long while he merely stood there, watching the ebb and flow of the water engulf his feet and bury his toes in the sand._

"Is that… me?"

_He then looked back toward the horizon, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled something out to the edge of the world. Having done this, the boy grinned and hurried back to pick up the plank of wood. The dry sand that he stepped in clung to his wet feet, and the little boy rubbed at his feet with one hand to get rid of it before pulling his sandals back on. _

"What am I doing with that piece of wood?"

_Then the little boy took up the wood and continued to drag it away, singing the song that his father had taught him to sing while he worked. He was getting the words all wrong._

"I remember now… I was helping my dad build the tree house…"

_After a few moments of dragging the wood through the sand, the boy stopped in place. He stopped singing and his blue eyes went wide as his attention was caught by something lying on the beach._

"Hey… I don't remember _this_…"

_He dropped the wood again and ran toward it. It was a small girl, about his age. She was lying face down on the beach, the tide licking her legs up to her knees. She was wearing a lacy white dress, which was now completely covered in wet sand. For a long time, the boy hovered above her, his eyes wide._

"Wait a minute…"

_Then the little boy knelt down and laid one hand on the girl's shoulder. He shook her slightly to rouse her from her sleep. Ever so slowly she turned her sea-colored eyes upward and looked the boy straight in the eyes. She blinked in confusion as the boy smiled at her. He leaned forward slightly and asked the girl what her name was. She smiled, pushing back a loose strand of crimson hair, and then opened her mouth to answer._

"Could that be…?"

"Hey Sora!"

Sora woke up almost immediately as Goofy began to shake him by the shoulders. His eyes went wide in surprise. Donald quickly joined Goofy in looming over Sora as he sat slumped in his chair. Sora straightened right away and looked up at his companions, disoriented.

"What's going on?"

Goofy smiled cheerily and pointed out the window. "We've landed! See for yerself!"

The Keyblade master peered out the glass and was surprised to see that they had landed the Gummi ship in the middle of a seemingly endless ocean of desert sand, stretching all the way out to the horizon. Small clouds of sand and dust wafted through the air. Sora stared out at the expanse in awe before catching sight of something else entirely on the other side of the ship.

He was able to see a long, high wall which seemed to mark the border of a large, abundant city. The walls appeared to be made out of sand colored stone, almost camouflaging the city. But some of the taller buildings were plain to see over the wall, and the large main gate that was currently wide open offered a view into the city streets. Numerous buildings lined the streets, clotheslines hanging from one window to another. Looming majestically over everything was a beautiful, luxuriant Arabian palace. Its gold and white exterior glimmered royally in the bright desert sun.

Sora pressed his nose against the glass as he stared at the city, particularly at the palace.

"Where _are _we?" he breathed, awestruck.

Donald waddled back to his dashboard, pressed down on a button, and watched the monitor as it ran a scan. The scan ended with an electronic beep and showed Donald exactly what he wanted to know. The duck turned back to the others and smiled.

"Welcome to Agrabah, boys."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yay for the newness! Quite another bit of manga stuff. Even named the chapter after one of the chapters in the manga. That dream sequence, for example, was very greatly inspired by the first pages of the KH Manga. And I learned a lot of things while writing this chapter. Found out that Huey, Dewey, and Louie are Donald's twin sister's sons. It was just like, "Donald has a twin sister?" I had no idea that Donald had such an extensive family history! I was very surprised to learn all of this stuff. :P 


	19. Arabian Nights

_**Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko**_

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **omg, writing these chapters is like what I assume childbirth must feel like. I apologize for the eternal wait, but I finally managed to get some work on this baby done. :D enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 18  
****Arabian Nights**_

_Agrabah_

The streets in the usually bustling marketplace had been completely abandoned. Some stalls were completely empty while other shopkeepers seemed to have been dropped on the spot, leaving behind all of their precious goods. The streets were quiet, making it seem as though the entire city had been deserted. There wasn't a single soul to be found – except for two dark figures that slowly made their way down the road.

One was an elegant lady dressed in the style of a black dragon, while the other was a tall, skinny man with a golden snake staff in one hand. They strode down the street together, the lady just a few steps ahead of her companion. The lady was listening to them intently as he gave her a full report on the happenings of the city. But she wasn't interested in the city of Agrabah.

She slowed in her step until she came to a stop. "And the Keyhole?"

The man continued to walk slowly forward until he was just one small step behind the lady. "The Heartless are searching for it now. I'm _certain _we'll find it soon enough."

The dragon lady narrowed her eyes, disappointed by the lack of results. She then shut her eyes, dismissing it… for now. The man's face turned into a slight scowl. He despised taking orders. Most especially when they came from someone who was obviously a lesser being than himself. He did, however, recognize a great power residing within the dragon-like woman. And she was the one person who had all the ideas and answers. The man relaxed somewhat and drew in a breath.

"So that just leaves..."

Just then, a short, stubby parrot with red feathers emerged in the sky with a loud squawk. The parrot spiraled downwards toward the two figures on the street. Both the man and lady watched as the parrot began to descend upon the man's shoulder with a loud, exhausted groan.

"Jafar!" the parrot shouted to his keeper as he landed. He stretched his tired wings, revealing the green and blue tips on them, and ruffled his similarly patterned tail. The man raised an eyebrow in annoyance as he looked at the bird as he took a moment to catch his breath before reporting. "I've looked _every_where for Jasmine. She's disappeared like magic!"

Jafar snorted, raising his chin snobbishly in the air. "The girl is more trouble than she's _worth_."

His lady companion had resumed walking, her grip on her staff tightening in annoyance. She took one glance back at Jafar. "You _said _you had things _under control_."

The vizier exchanged an annoyed, frustrated look with his parrot before returning his attention to the witch. "Agrabah is full of _holes _for _rats_ to hide in." He put an especial amount of disgust into his voice on the word "rats". "But why worry about Princess _Jasmine_? With her or without her, _surely _this world will be ours when we find the Keyhole."

The lady took in a breath through her nostrils and shut her eyes, annoyed with having such impotents as colleagues. She didn't like having to repeat herself.

"We need all _seven _princesses of heart to open the final door," she told him, her voice eerily calm. "Any fewer is useless."

Jafar raised his eyebrows in affected surprise. Then a wicked smirk appeared across the vizier's face. "Well, if the princess is that important, we'll find her."

He shared another menacing look with his parrot, the same wicked grin on both faces. The vizier then looked forward and raised his golden snake staff slightly off the ground. He hit the bottom of it on the ground, raising some sand and dust in the air. Almost immediately a small group of Heartless, resembling a band of Arabian bandits brandishing scimitars, appeared before him. Jafar smiled viciously at them.

"Find Jasmine and bring her to me at once."

The parrot then rose from Jafar's shoulder and flew off, leading the Heartless further into the city to do Jafar's bidding. They raised their swords in the air as they followed, as though prepared for battle. Then Jafar moved forward to follow them.

"Don't steep yourself in darkness too long," the lady warned Jafar, a dark tone in her voice. "The Heartless _consume _the careless."

Jafar stopped in his tracks and threw his head back, his body shaken with amused laughter. He looked back over his shoulder, still smiling. "Your concern is touching, but hardly necessary."

The dragon-like lady narrowed her eyes at Jafar as he resumed walking. She then vanished, taking her leave of that world and the foolish vizier that wished to rule it.

Meanwhile, a beautiful young woman with piercing brown eyes had been hiding behind the counter of one of the abandoned market place stalls. She had heard _everything_.

* * *

"Gawrsh, sure is an _empty _place…"

As the trio entered the large, Arabian city, the first thing that they noticed was the lack of people – not at all something one would expect to see in such a place. The streets seemed to be deserted, the curtains on windows appeared to be drawn, and all the doors seemed to be locked. It was as though all of the residents had somehow shut themselves inside their homes, never to leave, or had suddenly chosen to leave and never come back. But the reason as to _why _that would be so remained hidden, shrouded in the safe shadows of the buildings.

The three comrades looked around them warily as they walked down what must have been the main street. The complete silence that had surrounded them was unbearable. Sora could even hear the sound of the sand and dust shifting beneath the soles of his sneakers.

"What's going _on _around here?" Donald wondered aloud.

Goofy shuddered slightly. "I'm gettin' the _creeps_."

"Same here," Sora agreed.

Donald glanced at his companions. "Maybe we should go."

The trio came to a halt in the middle of the street. They looked at the city one final time before turning on their heels and walking back toward the only exit they knew of. Sora sighed, somewhat disappointed to find absolutely _nothing _in such an amazing looking place. As he slowly trudged back down the street, he glanced back at the gleaming Arabian palace one more time. He had at least wanted to get closer to the palace.

That's when he saw something dash across the empty street. Sora stopped and turned around, his blue eyes darting about, searching. Donald and Goofy slowed down, looking over at Sora in confusion.

"What's wrong, Sora?"

The Keyblade master didn't look back. "I thought I saw something just now."

Donald waved it off. "Aw, phooey. It's just your imagination."

"No, I'm _serious_!"

The duck merely snorted and turned again, continuing to walk away, with Goofy following close behind. Sora continued to search the area with his eyes for another moment before giving up and turning away. No sooner had he done so than something dropped onto the top of Sora's head from above.

"AAAHHHH!" Sora shouted in panic. "GET IT OFF! GET IT _OFF_!"

Both Donald and Goofy turned to look at Sora, Donald doing so with an annoyed roll of his eyes. They were both surprised to see Sora fighting off a small, skinny brown monkey wearing a small maroon vest and a purple fez hat. The monkey crawled all over Sora, swiftly dodging Sora's attempts to grab hold of him. Goofy and Donald stood stunned for a moment, unsure of what they should do. Goofy had learned from experience that trying to help could only make things worse. Donald had learned the same thing from watching Goofy.

It wasn't long before the monkey leapt off of Sora, landed on the ground and began to move away from him. Sora breathed hard, his eyes still wide from the shock of it, clutching one hand to his chest as though that would somehow slow the frantic beating of his heart. And that's when he realized it. His silver crown pendant was gone. Sora's eyes grew even wider as he patted himself down, searching for it.

"Heh whoooaaa. Heh _whoooaaa_!"

Sora's head snapped upward slightly. There was the monkey, standing about six feet away from him, smiling and waving at Sora. He held something shiny in one of his hairy little monkey hands. Sora's crown necklace. Sora could hardly believe it! That little monkey had snatched the necklace right off of his neck! Sora clenched his fists at his sides and narrowed his eyes at the monkey.

"You hairy little _thief_!"

The little monkey laughed, tucked the necklace away and tipped his fez hat. "Hah bu!"

With that, the thief made his escape. Sora grimaced before taking off after him. He was not one to let things get away. And with no choice but to continue to follow the king's orders to stay with the Key bearer, Donald and Goofy shrugged their shoulders and followed the boy.

"Get _back_ here!"

Sora ran after his prey, following it into the alley which seemed to be a dead end of sorts. He screeched to a halt in the alley and looked around, searching again. When nothing happened, he bent over, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath, giving Donald and Goofy a chance to catch up. By the time his companions _did _catch up, Sora found the creature he had been chasing. Or rather, it had found him.

The little monkey's face suddenly appeared right in front of Sora's face, staring at him with wide eyes. Sora immediately jumped back in surprise with a loud yell, his arms flailing. He knocked into Donald and Goofy when he jumped, and all three of them tumbled to the ground, landing flat on their backs in a cloud of dust. The monkey howled back in shock, running away from Sora and ducking behind a set of crates and barrels that had been stacked up in the corner.

The Key bearer groaned as he sat up and began to dust himself off.

Goofy chuckled. "Gawrsh, Sora. I woulda thought that a little monkey would take to ya, seein' as ya seemed to get along just _fine _with the gorillas."

Donald sat up, rubbing the small of his back. "I don't think monkeys and gorillas are exactly the same thing, Goofy."

The captain of the guard was miffed. "_Really_? I thought they were cousins or something!"

Meanwhile, someone who was already hiding behind those crates was joined by the small monkey. The monkey perched himself on this person's shoulder, glancing back and pointing toward where Sora and the others were. His companion then slowly stood up, peering carefully around the crates and barrels.

"Who's there? Hello?"

Sora rose to his feet slowly, looking toward where the delicate voice had come from. A young woman slowly stepped out from her hiding place, the monkey still on her shoulder. She had large, piercing, almond shaped brown eyes with long lashes, almost hidden from view by her long, thick, raven tresses. Her hair cascaded down her backside, tied at two places with thick light aqua colored bands. She was dressed in matching shoulder less midriff top and baggy pants. Wrapped about the top of her head was another, thicker band with a large smooth cut zircon gem embedded at the forehead. She wore a simple thick golden necklace that matched her gold earrings in the shape of a round edged triangle. Her elf-like slippers were gold in color, matching with her earrings and necklace. She had an air about her that seemed both royal and humble all at once.

For a moment, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were completely mesmerized. The young woman looked at each of them in confusion, somewhat uncomfortable under their gaze. They then snapped themselves out of it with a vigorous shaking of their heads. Sora smiled, unsure of whether or not his face had turned pink, and took a hesitant step forward.

"Uh, hi! I-I'm Sora! And these are my friends, Donald and Goofy."

Both of them smiled at the young woman, unsure of whether or not they should wave or shake hands with her or even _bow _to her. She relaxed slightly and began to move forward. The small monkey popped out his head from behind Jasmine's shoulder. Sora glared. It wasn't fair that he was hiding behind a girl.

"I'm Jasmine," she said with a smile. "My father is the sultan of Agrabah."

Goofy's eyes went wide in affected surprise. He glanced briefly at his friends. "Uh… so _that _makes you a _princess_."

Donald and Sora nodded as they finally understood why they couldn't figure out whether to bow or to wave. Sora shot another annoyed look at the monkey. Not just any girl. A _princess._ The princess nodded in response. She then drew in a deep breath and cast a regretful glance in the direction of the palace.

"But he has been deposed by Jafar," she went on, a touch of anger in her voice, "who now controls the city."

The captain of the guard tilted his head to one side. "Jafar?" he echoed.

Princess Jasmine looked at Goofy in shock, her brown eyes widening. "You haven't heard of him? He's the royal vizier."

Goofy opened his mouth wide, about to explain that they were from another world when Donald quickly jabbed him in the side, stopping him. Jasmine hadn't noticed.

"He's gained evil powers and seized Agrabah. He's desperately looking for something – something he calls the 'Keyhole'." Sora's eyes went wide and he exchanged meaningful looks with his companions, each of them nodding in acknowledgement. Jasmine continued her story, unaware.

"Jafar caught me trying to escape, but _he _helped me."

Her features softened as she said "he", her eyes drifting toward the floor and a small smile appearing across her lips. At this, the monkey rolled his eyes in annoyance and turned his head to look away.

"Who helped you?" Sora asked.

Jasmine didn't answer him directly. She turned to look at Sora, brushing a loose strand of her hair away from her face. "We were hiding nearby, but he left a while ago to take care of something…" Her expression then changed to a look of worry and she sighed. "Oh, I hope Aladdin's all right."

"_Aladdin_? Where might I find this _street rat_?"

Everyone turned at the sound of the strange voice, looking up at the high level from which it had come from. There stood a tall, thin man with a long face and beady, almost snake-like eyes. He had a sharp chin, accented by a small curled goatee. He wore expensive, almost regal looking Arabian clothes colored black and red. In one hand he held a long golden staff, the top of which was in the likeness of the head of a deadly cobra.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes. "Jafar."

The trio suddenly felt as though they were rooted to the spot, somehow paralyzed. Sora shuddered under his gaze. There was something _else _about this man. Something terrible. He wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but he was sure that he didn't like it.

The monkey, who had been sitting on Jasmine's shoulder the whole time, leapt down to the ground and took off, leaving the alley. The princess turned when the monkey ran off, looking after him with a shocked expression on her face.

"Abu!" she called. But the monkey didn't return.

The royal vizier narrowed his eyes at Sora, Donald, and Goofy and sneered slightly at the sight of them. He then washed the expression away, replacing it with false concern.

"_Jasmine_," he said to her, trying his best to sound worried for her. "Allow me to find you more suitable company, my _dear_ prin_cess_." He turned his eyes briefly back to the trio as a wicked smile crossed his face. "_These _little rats won't do, you see."

Finding himself at last, Sora turned his head slightly toward Jasmine, his eyes never leaving Jafar's sinister looking face.

"Jasmine, _run_!" he said to her softly.

The princess hesitated for a moment, biting down on her lower lip. Her eyes darted from Sora to the figure of the royal vizier. She opened her mouth to protest, but changed her mind when she saw Jafar glaring at her, his eyes shooting deadly warnings. Jasmine then narrowed her eyes at him and turned away quickly, defiantly. She put a hand on Sora's shoulder before running out of the alley, taking off in the same direction as Abu. The royal vizier narrowed his eyes as he watched her run. He then slowly turned his gaze onto the boy who stood below.

Jafar's eyes widened slightly when he noticed the Keyblade in Sora's grip. The Key bearer had managed to pull himself together and prepare himself for a fight. His companions had taken a cue from their young charge and had also pulled out their weapons and prepared themselves. Ever so slowly, an amused smile appeared on Jafar's face. A wicked cackle threatened to escape from his throat.

"_Ah…_ the boy who holds the _key_," he said amusedly.

Sora narrowed his eyes at him. _'How does he know about the Keyblade? Or even... about _me

His grip around the Keyblade tightened. Goofy and Donald must have been sharing similar thoughts, as Donald leapt up into the air in a fit, quaking loudly.

"How do you know about Sora?" Donald shouted.

Goofy raised his hand slightly in objection. "And about the Keyblade?"

"Just who _are _you?" Sora yelled at Jafar, taking a step forward. "You're not just some corrupt royal vizier! Admit it!"

Unable to suppress his laughter much longer, Jafar released his cackle as he stepped back from the ledge of the building. He glared at Sora, still smiling, as several Heartless appeared in front of him, dressed in the styles of Arabian bandits. Their glowing yellow eyes could be seen through slits in their turbans as they tossed their scimitars from one hand to the other. Jafar soon turned away and began to walk off, making his exit through a hidden doorway to his right. The Heartless jumped down from the higher level and charged at the trio without a moment's hesitation.

Sora's clenched his free hand into a fist. "HEY, _WAIT_!"

The Key bearer ignored the Heartless that came after him, jumping up onto the stack of wooden crates and barrels that Jasmine had been hiding behind. He grabbed onto the ledge and pulled himself up quickly, ready to chase after Jafar. Sora's eyes went wide when he saw a barred gate lowering over the doorway Jafar had passed through, closing the way. Sora clenched his teeth and ran at the doorway, hoping that he would manage to make it through in time.

But the gates moved a little too quickly for him, shutting practically in his face. Sora did his best to stop himself before he crashed against it, but to no avail. He had, however, managed to outstretch his hands before him and protect himself from getting hurt. Sora was practically thrown back from the gate when he hit it and fell painfully to the ground. His frustration fueling him, Sora leapt to his feet and ran at the gate again, grabbing onto the bars and yelling through them.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU FREAKY OLD VIZIER!"

He wasn't sure that he'd ever felt this angry before. It wasn't just what he had done to Jasmine and to Agrabah. Sora could just sense it. That vizier was more than just corrupt; he was evil. That was why the trio had been so terrified of him. On top of all that, Sora hated the fact that he recognized him as the Keyblade master. The guy _knew _about him. He hadn't recognized him right away, but he knew what the Keyblade was, and what it meant. Jafar must have known what he was doing with it then. He must have known that they had come to seal the very thing that he was looking for; to stop him and others like him. But he had laughed at them. He was amused.

In the meantime, Donald and Goofy had set to work on taking down the Heartless that had attacked. While Sora made a mad break for Jafar, they had to cover for him, defeating the confused Heartless bandits that he had left in his wake. But these Heartless were stronger than the last ones.

Donald blasted another one away from him with a fireball before turning to Sora. "HEY! Get your butt down here and _help _us!"

Snapping out of his frustrated thoughts, Sora looked toward his friends. With another glance toward where Jafar had walked off, he kicked at the gate one final time before jumping down to help them. He pushed his frustration away for now and focused. He'd figure out what Jafar was up to and how he knew so much later on. For now, there were Heartless to be taken care of.

The Heartless seemed to be getting stronger with every world that they visited. The Heartless were not only dressed like Arabian thieves; they fought like them, too. They swung their scimitars with precision and ease. They could leap high into the air, their blades shining in the hot desert sun, and perform other various sword techniques. These Heartless were much more formidable than the mere Shadows that were so abundant in Traverse Town. But the bandit Heartless came in no smaller groups. That posed an even greater challenge to the trio.

Knowing all of this, it was no surprise that the battle was a struggle. Each of them completely caught up with their own fights, the trio had little time to look out for one another. Sora did his best to fight with several of them all at once, but it proved to be extremely difficult when the Heartless used their scimitars to block his attacks. He was forced to rely mostly on counterattacks. Goofy used his traditional barreling tactic, holding his shield out in front of him as he charged through the masses while Donald zapped and shot at them with his magic, as well as jabbing them in their gut with his staff when they came too close.

One of the bandits who had been left alone on the other side of the alley positioned itself so that it was in line with Sora. Then, empowering itself, it took off in a powerful leap, launching itself straight for Sora's unguarded backside, the blade of its scimitar gleaming. Donald, having defeated one of the Heartless at long last, managed to catch a glimpse of the lone bandit before it pounced. He spun around with a loud wail, pointing his staff in Sora's direction.

"SORA! LOOK OUT!"

The Key bearer turned slightly, in time to see the Heartless flying at him with his blade gleaming. He jumped back, raising the Keyblade so as to try and block the oncoming attack. He braced himself, prepared for a rough impact.

Then the strangest thing happened. As soon as the bandit had come within one foot of Sora's face, it shifted its position slightly in mid-air, as though something had blocked the way. The Heartless had moved just enough to fly _past _Sora rather than to crash straight into him, hitting another of its kind in full force and flattening it.

Sora looked around him in shock, realizing suddenly that there was an unusual force field of some kind surrounding him. Confused, he stuck one hand straight out in front of him, meaning to touch it, and realized that his shield was made of air that was spinning around him and encasing him in some kind of bubble. The Key bearer looked over at Donald, who was staring at his mage's staff, his eyes wide.

"Did _you _do that, Donald?"

The court wizard nodded slightly, dumbfounded. "I guess so…"

Goofy had finally managed to finish off the last Heartless on his own. He plopped down on the ground with a loud sigh before looking at his two friends, both of whom seemed to be frozen in place. The captain tilted his head to one side, placing one gloved hand under his chin.

"Uh… fellas? Are you okay?"

For a while they were silent, leaving Goofy completely confused. Then finally, Sora quickly ran over to Donald, putting away the Keyblade and grabbing the duck by the shoulders.

"You've _gotta _teach me how to do that!"

"WAK! _I_ don't even know how I did it! How can I teach you?"

"Aw, come on! _Please_?"

"When I figure it out, I'll let you know. Now leave me alone!"

Donald swatted at Sora's arms to make the boy release his shoulders. Goofy laughed heartily, relieved, and then rose to his feet. He walked over to his friends and slung his arms around them, still laughing. Sora looked up at Goofy, watching him laugh for a moment, and finally smiled. He ran a hand through his spiky hair and began to laugh as well. It didn't mean that he wasn't upset about Jafar anymore. There was just something about Goofy that made people smile, regardless.

"Heh _whooaaa_!"

Everyone's eyes turned slightly upward when they heard the small monkey's voice as he tried to say "hello". He was peering over the edge of one of the higher levels and waving slightly at the trio. Goofy released his two friends from his hold (much to Donald's relief) and gestured to the monkey.

"It's Jasmine's monkey friend!"

Sora looked up to where Goofy was pointing and narrowed his eyes. "_HEY_!"

With a short, high pitched screech, the monkey jumped down to the floor and joined them. Sora stepped forward and grabbed the monkey by the arms, lifting him up off the ground. He then began to shake him up and down as though he were emptying a piggy bank.

"Give me back my necklace, you little thief!"

Nothing fell from within the folds of his vest, fur, or hat. Somewhat shocked, Sora raised the monkey in the air so that their faces were level. "Okay, where'd you hide it?"

A part of Sora felt guilty for using the monkey as the brunt of his current frustration, but another part of him just _really _wanted that necklace back. The monkey merely grinned sheepishly and shrugged, feigning innocence. Sora sighed.

"Why do you want your necklace back so much, Sora?" Goofy asked as he watched Sora release the monkey in defeat.

Sora's face turned red in embarrassment. He turned away slightly, scratching the back of his head and looking up toward the sky. "I just like it a lot. It's like… my trademark, I guess."

"'Trademark'?" Donald echoed. He rolled his eyes and laughed. "Sounds like you think you're part of some big franchise or something."

The court wizard then burst out laughing, clutching his sides as though he was in pain. Sora sighed heavily, disheartened. Of course Donald would laugh at him. Riku had laughed, too, after all. Goofy then looked down at the small monkey at their feet. The whole time Donald and Sora had been talking, the monkey had been jumping up and down, waving his arms in the air in an attempt to get everyone's attention back. He seemed to be frantic, pulling at Goofy's pant leg and pointing down the street, in the direction that both he and Jasmine had escaped. Goofy turned to his friends.

"Hey fellas, I think the monkey is trying to tell us somethin'."

Both Donald and Sora turned to look at the monkey's show of yelling and waving his arms. Donald folded his arms over his chest as Goofy knelt on the ground, putting one finger to his lips as he thought about something.

Donald tapped his foot on the floor, getting impatient. "Well? Out with it!"

"Yer name's _Abu_, huh?" Goofy asked the monkey.

The monkey stopped short then looked into Goofy's face with an expression on his face that could only be saying, _"What?"_ The monkey nodded in response before rolling his eyes and returning to pointing down the alley toward the main street. Donald grabbed hold of Goofy's arm and began to pull at him, trying to get him to stand up.

"Come on, Goofy. Enough with the monkey business."

Goofy resisted. He was still talking to Abu. "What happened?"

Abu turned around again and looked at all three figures before conceding. He pulled his vest over his head and clutched the ends of it beneath his chin so that it pressed down on his head. He then straightened his back and began to walk on his hind legs, swaying his hips back and forth. Abu looked up and batted his eyes at the trio in a girlish manner. Then, while still holding his girlish poise, he began to imitate the actions of a royal figure, giving orders and trying to sound distinguished through his monkey voice.

Donald snorted at the display, somewhat disgusted.

"What does he think he is, a princess?"

The monkey then threw off his imitation and pointed at Donald with a grin, jumping up and down excitedly. Quickly putting two and two together, Sora bent down slightly, leaning toward Abu.

"Did something happen to Jasmine?"

Abu nodded his head and immediately ran off, gesturing for the trio to follow him. Sora and Goofy straightened to their full heights. Abu halted in his tracks when he saw that no one had followed him, and he began to yell at them frantically once again.

Goofy turned to Donald. "Ya think Jafar got her?"

"Could be," Donald said sadly. He shook his head slowly and then began to walk away. "We should probably leave before we cause any more damage."

Sora turned to look at Donald in shock. "What're you talking about? We have to do something about Jafar!"

Goofy sighed, putting one hand sympathetically on Sora's shoulder. "But we can't. If we did, we'd be muddling again!"

"'_Meddling_'!" Donald shouted over his shoulder.

"Oh yeah! Oops!" The captain of the guard laughed. "And that's _still _against the rules!"

The duck groaned at Goofy's mistake as he continued to walk away. "How many times do I hafta correct you 'til you get it _right_?"

"But he knows about the Keyblade!" Sora protested. "He knows about us! And he's looking for the Keyhole, just like we are! We have to _do _something about him!"

Donald came to a stop, his eyes lowered to the ground slightly. He then looked over at Goofy, who returned his sullen gaze. The captain of the guard slowly turned his head so that he could see Sora.

"Jafar is _with _the Heartless," Sora went on. "If he finds the Keyhole before us, then this whole place could end up disappearing!" He suddenly had a flash of what his home had looked like the last time he'd seen it. He clenched his teeth. "I'm _not _gonna just let something like that happen again. _Especially _not if I have the power to stop it."

Sora walked toward where Abu was waiting impatiently. "Lead the way, Abu."

Abu let out a breath of relief and glanced at Donald and Goofy for a second. Then, with a shrug of his small shoulders, he began to run back into the heart of the city with Sora following just a few steps behind him. As Sora and Abu turned the corner and vanished out of their line of sight, Goofy glanced at Donald and smiled.

"He's gettin' real good at this hero stuff, huh?"

The court wizard smiled slightly, impressed, and nodded his head. He then began to walk out of the alley, following Sora and Abu's lead.

"Well, you heard the kid, Goofy. Let's go."

* * *

The trio followed the monkey through the empty Agrabah streets, ducking into alleyways and slowly making their way into what appeared to be a much poorer area, farther away from the palace. Some of the buildings seemed to be crumbling . Many of them seemed to have been completely abandoned. All of the buildings, however, were of varying heights. Some of them were many stories high while others had only one or two floors. Abu had led the trio to one of the higher ones. 

They hurried through the building until they reached its exterior. They then clambered onto the rooftop of the building they had just scaled. Abu hurried forward and grabbed hold of a long wooden pole that was lying on the floor at the other end of the roof. He handed one to Sora and another to Goofy, then pointed to an adjacent rooftop. Sora stared at the large gap between the two buildings and then glanced at the pole. He turned to Abu with wide eyes and a shake of his head.

"You've gotta be kidding."

With no other choice but to obey, Sora and Goofy (each of them paired with Abu and Donald respectively) pole vaulted across the gap and landed clumsily on the other side. Abu groaned and rolled his eyes at their clumsiness before continuing to lead the way. They climbed up several ladders that had been propped up against the side of the structure and up a few staircases, one of which led into a large hole in the side of the top floor of a building. It was there that Abu took the trio.

The staircase led to the inside, which someone had apparently converted into an apartment. The room was enclosed on all sides by walls that seemed to be relatively sturdy, though largely cracked in places. The bricks that made up the floor seemed to be slipping out of place, making the floor uneven. Some of the beams that held up the roof had fallen in places, including one directly over the entrance (rendering it dangerous for all tall visitors).

The apartment was filled with a wide variety of items; old blankets, jars, planks of wood, ropes, so on and so on. There were several large, old, fractured vases at the top of one set of stairs and at the base of another, which had a carpet draped over the steps and several throw pillows on top, creating a makeshift bed. This second set of stairs stopped abruptly, seeming to lead into the wall. That wall had a large, gaping hole in it, covered by a tattered blue blanket that hung over it on a rope.

Abu said something in warning as they entered, climbing onto the fallen beam and smacking its surface with one palm. Sora ducked under it as he entered, taking in his surroundings. Maybe he was crazy or just plain homesick, but he really thought that the place looked comfortable. He had the biggest urge to throw himself down on top of the throw pillows that made up the bed and just go to sleep. Sora smiled as he entered, making his way to the opposite wall.

Goofy and Donald had taken up the rear of the party, and Goofy had missed Abu's warning concerning the fallen beam. Absent-minded that Goofy was, he hit his head on the beam in full force and almost fell backwards. Fortunately for him, Donald had been right there behind him to prevent such a thing from happening. Of course, the duck wasn't particularly happy about it.

"Watch where you're goin'!"

"Ahyuk! Oops! Sorry 'bout that, Donald!"

Sora pulled back the curtain on the other side of the room. Light burst into the room, blinding everyone for a brief moment as their eyes had to adjust. As soon as they had, Donald and Goofy joined Sora in staring awestruck out the large window.

All three of them drew in a deep breath. "Wow…"

The apartment itself wasn't much, but it had an amazing view of the entire city of Agrabah, including a breathtaking sight of the palace. The palace was huge – it reached from one end of the city to the other. Its curved golden towers shone brilliantly in the bright desert sun, making the entire palace seem to exude a warm, regal glow. The trio stood frozen to the spot for a long while, their jaws agape as they basked in the palace's glory.

The Key bearer ran a hand through his hair and smiled as he turned to his friends. "The palace looks pretty amazing, huh?"

It wasn't long before Donald and Goofy snapped out of their reverie, memories resurfacing in their minds of life in Disney Castle. Goofy sighed and lowered his eyes.

"Yeah… It's fantastic…" It just reminded him too much of home.

"I wonder what it'd be like to _live _there," Sora wondered out loud. He hadn't noticed the sad tone in his companion's voice. The boy smiled as he daydreamed. "And have servants… and valets."

This time Donald snorted and rolled his eyes, sympathizing with the servants. "Yeah, people to tell you where to go and how to dress."

Sora laughed slightly at the comment and slowly turned to look at his friends. He was suddenly confused by the sight of their sullen expressions. He glanced back at the palace, still confused, until it finally dawned on him. He kept forgetting that he wasn't the only one who had lost a friend and had to leave their home behind. It was almost comforting to remember that he wasn't the only one. But before Sora could say anything, Abu could be heard calling them. The trio all raised their heads to look at the monkey, blinking in mild confusion.

Abu was tugging at what appeared to be a rug that was stuck between a small wooden cabinet and the stone wall. The carpet was royal purple in color, with a very beautiful design across its surface on both sides. It had an intricately designed pattern bordering the sides. There were golden tiger heads at the corners and four gold scimitars forming a curved diamond in the center of the rug. It seemed like the rest of the carpet's design was filled with stylized images of fire and smoke. But the most striking thing about the rug was the fact that it was moving all on its own, struggling to break free and tightly gripping Abu's arms.

The trio's eyes grew wide. "It's… a magic carpet!"

"Gawrsh! Wouldja lookit that!"

"I didn't think they really existed!"

The monkey turned sharply toward them and screeched loudly, gesturing to the carpet with a nod of his head. Then both Donald and Sora hurried over to help out, grabbing hold of the carpet and pulling at it with all their might.

"This thing's really stuck!" Donald muttered.

"No kidding!"

All three then stopped for a moment to think, releasing the carpet as Goofy casually made his way over to join them. Even the magic carpet relaxed, lying itself as flat as it could on the ground for a brief moment. It eventually raised itself slightly, tapping its fingers of golden rope on the floor. Sora was stunned briefly by the carpet once again and had to shake his head from side to side to get himself over it.

"Okay. Any ideas?"

They all looked to one another expectantly, then sighed and hung their heads. It had quickly been established that no one had any better ideas than to grab the rug and pull until it came free. Of course, the question of _how _it had gotten so stuck between a drawer and the wall remained unanswered. Goofy stared at the rug thoughtfully for a while, one hand cupped around his chin.

"Hey, y'know, I think that—"

"Alright, one more time," Sora said, raising his head. He, Abu, and Donald picked the rug up once again. "On the count of three, okay?"

Goofy stepped forward, examining the cupboard quickly. "Hey fellas, I bet—"

"One… Two…"

He put his hands on either side of the drawer. "If ya just moved this—"

"Three!"

As Sora, Donald, and Abu yanked with all their might while the carpet tried to fly out with all of its strength, Goofy gave the cupboard a good shove in the opposite direction. The cupboard lifted slightly on one side, just enough to free the rug. Right away, the magic carpet exploded forward, causing Sora, Donald and Abu to topple backwards. Even the carpet was disoriented as it somersaulted in the air and crashed into the opposite wall. Sora winced at the impact the carpet made with the wall.

Goofy laughed to himself. "Gawrsh! It _worked_!"

"You coulda warned us you were gonna do that, Goofy," Donald complained.

"But… but I _did_," Goofy protested, baffled. "Didn't I?"

Unfortunately for the captain of the guard, no one had caught that last part. Everyone was busy looking at the magic carpet as it peeled itself off of the wall and proceeded to examine itself. It dusted itself off before twirling around in the air, overjoyed. After a moment of this, the magic carpet slid itself underneath Sora, Donald, and Abu (since they were still on the floor) and lifted them up onto their feet. Then Abu turned to the carpet and began to communicate with it. Sora and the others were dumbfounded. How _that _could be possible was beyond them. Sora shrugged it off, dusting himself off and patting himself down, just in case Abu had snatched something _else _from him in the confusion. Which reminded him.

He turned around. "Hey, Abu? Any chance of you giving back my necklace?"

The rug "looked" at the monkey in shock, waving a tassel in Abu's face as though it were scolding him. Abu grinned sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, feigning innocence. But apparently, the rug wasn't convinced. It grabbed Abu and reached into his vest, searching around in the many hidden pockets, and soon pulled out a silver crown pendant on a thick silver chain. The rug then put Abu gently down on the floor, checking the pendant over once, and then holding it out for Sora to see. The monkey muttered something in annoyance, folding his arms over his chest.

Sora smiled, stepping forward and taking it into his hands. "Hey, thanks!"

The magic carpet bowed slightly in Sora's direction and rose into the air, spreading itself out horizontally. Abu immediately hopped on board, fixing his vest and hat as he sat down. Then both Abu and the carpet looked over at the trio expectantly. Their eyes went wide and each of them pointed to themselves in confusion.

"It wants us to come along?" Donald asked in shock.

Abu rolled his eyes in annoyance as the carpet seemed to nod in response. The monkey pointed out toward the desert and began to chatter animatedly. The trio exchanged glances. They weren't entirely sure what in the world Abu was saying, but whatever it was, it must have been something that was somehow important. Sora turned to face his companions.

"Well, I guess I kinda owe it to the carpet for returning my necklace. What do you guys think?" Sora's eyes went wide when he couldn't find Donald or Goofy standing nearby. He spun around in place, looking for them. "Uh… Guys?"

"What're you _doing_, Sora?" came Donald's voice.

Donald and Goofy had already climbed onto the magic carpet and were looking at Sora expectantly. Goofy was smiling broadly, one hand extended toward Sora. Donald grinned smugly.

"Let's get going already!"

Sora laughed as he replaced his necklace around his neck. He grabbed Goofy's hand and pulled himself up onto the carpet with a grin.

"All aboard!"

Then the magic carpet took off, flying out the open window of the apartment and soaring quickly over the city, out toward the open desert.

* * *

**Author's Note:** A lot of rebuilding goin' on here. For one thing, I needed a _reason_ for Sora and the others to delve further into Agrabah, hence Abu's snatching of the necklace. I've been trying to find reasons to make that necklace more important, but so far this was the best I came up with. I thought of maybe saying it was a present from Kairi or from like, his grandparents, but those didn't work too well. So I stuck with what I have there. :P I imported the route to Aladdin's house from the movie, because in the game Agrabah was _way _too simplified (for navigation purposes I assume). It was a mean thing to translate but I tried to anyway. I took that "great view" dialogue from the movie, too, if you recognized it at all. I gave feistiness back to Jasmine (let's face it, in the movie she was _much _more assertive), so she's a little less plaintive and more angry. I gave Sora good reason to hate Jafar, and this will probably be the pattern every time he meets one of the big bads. He's also getting his hero instincts and maturing. ... a little bit.


	20. Friend Like Me

_**Kingdom Hearts  
by hikaranko**_

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **I am posting this up today... in honor of the _**first year anniversary**_ that this fic has been up here. I had hoped I would be further along in the story by now _(sweatdrops)_, but 19 chapters and a prologue ain't bad. Plus, I'm all the way into Agrabah now! I'm really sorry that these last chapters have been taking me so long, but I hope it's worth the wait. Yes, our widdle Sowa is starting to mature. ... a little. no way he's gonna mature that quickly. he's still a crazy mixed-up fourteen-year old boy. no worries, he'll be back to normal in no time at all. :P

* * *

_**Chapter 19****  
Friend Like Me**_

_Agrabah_

Goofy squinted as he scanned the horizon, focused and alert, one hand over his eyes to shield him from the intense desert sunlight. Beads of sweat formed on the top of his head, only to evaporate within moments. The hot, dry wind billowed into his face, throwing a few grains of sand into his eyes on occasion. But he was far too busy searching the endless desert landscape. In search of… of…

"Uh… what're we lookin' for?"

The captain of the guard dropped his hand and turned his head so that he was looking over at the other three people who were riding on the magic carpet with him. Sora and Abu were busy looking out over opposite sides of the carpet, scanning the monotonous landscape. Donald, who had given up searching and was sitting with his arms folded over his chest, looked over at Goofy and groaned. He was getting tired of constantly having to explain what was going on to Goofy.

"We're looking for signs of life," the duck drawled.

"The Heartless, that Jafar creep," Sora continued with a shrug. "Anything that will get us somewhere."

"An awhr ra din!" Abu put in, tugging on Sora's jacket.

Everyone looked at the small monkey quizzically before looking at one another as though somebody among them understood. Then Donald just shrugged helplessly and Sora slowly nodded his head, even though he had no idea what Abu was saying before returning to his search. Goofy scratched the top of his head in confusion.

"'Awhr ra din'?" Goofy echoed. "What's that?"

Donald snorted. "Who knows."

Sora's eyebrows came together thoughtfully. "Is it... a name...?"

"Hmm... That _does _make it seem more familiar," Donald mused. "But why?"

All three of them fell into a thoughtful silence as they tried to figure it out. Abu jumped into the air, chattering and wailing loudly, and began to make all sorts of hand gestures and movements in an attempt to explain, but to no avail. Donald and Goofy looked more confused than ever, while Sora just continued to look out over the desert. Eventually, Abu dropped his arms and gave up, turning around and looking back out into the desert landscape.

The first sign of life appeared late in the afternoon, when the sun was hanging low in the sky over the numerous sand dunes. Abu and the magic carpet had been the ones to spot it, and the monkey didn't hesitate to raise a loud commotion over it. The trio practically jumped into the air in their sitting positions and immediately spun around to look toward where Abu was pointing frantically. But before any of them could utter a single word or even see what had been found, the magic carpet dove.

With a loud, alarmed yell, Sora grabbed both sides of the carpet and held on for dear life. All he could see was a blur of movement in the light of the late afternoon sun. The force of the wind was pulling at his face, making it difficult to see and even breathe. Then, just as quickly as the carpet began its dive, it stopped, sending the trio flying off of it and landing face first into the desert sand.

Donald and Goofy managed to get to their feet faster than Sora. Sora had ended up half buried in the sand and his friends immediately ran over to help pull him out. As soon as the Key bearer was freed, he coughed and spit out any remaining sand from his mouth, running his hands over his face and through his hair to clean himself off.

"Thanks guys," Sora said with a grateful smile as he rose to his feet.

"Uh… don't thank us just yet," Donald replied, not looking at Sora.

Goofy swallowed hard and pulled out his shield. "Gawrsh, these guys are really persistent, huh?"

"Huh?"

Sora looked up and was greeted by the not so welcome sight of several Heartless, surrounding them in a wide circle, their scimitars gleaming. They shifted their weight from one leg to the other, bouncing slightly in place as though they were altogether too eager to take on the Keyblade master and his companions. Sora groaned in annoyance.

"Great. It's like everywhere we go, the Heartless just _have _to be there, huh?"

"Awhr ra din! _Awhr ra din_!"

Sora glanced over toward Abu and the magic carpet out of the corner of his eye. They had both bee-lined toward a section of sand that seemed to be quicksand. The sand was being pulled under the surface, creating a large depression in the desert, and making a loud rustling noise. Trapped in the very middle of the whirlpool of sand was a young man, apparently unconscious and sinking.

That was when Sora was _sure _that "awhr ra din" was a name, though he still wasn't sure what exactly the name was or where he had heard it before. He looked over at Donald and Goofy, who had also seen the young man.

"Guys, I—"

Donald smirked slightly. "Yeah, yeah, go help."

"We'll cover ya," Goofy assured him with a thumbs up.

With a smile and nod of his head, Sora turned around and ran toward the sand whirlpool, pulling out the Keyblade. The Heartless would have to wait to deal with the Keyblade master for now. Donald and Goofy watched Sora run off to the rescue, exchanged glances, and then attacked.

Abu and the magic carpet were hovering over the whirlpool, both of them hanging onto one of the young man's arms. They were simultaneously trying to wake him and pull him out of the whirlpool. The whole time Abu was shouting the name and making other monkey noises. Though their plan to pull him out of danger wasn't exactly succeeding, the young man slowly began to wake up, a process which instantly quickened when he saw that he was up to his torso in quicksand.

"Whoa!"

"Awhr ra din!" Abu called urgently.

The young man looked over at the monkey, only just noticing his presence. A look of mixed relief and surprise appeared on his face. "Abu!"

The magic carpet joined Abu in grabbing hold of the young man's arm and continued to try to pull him out of the quicksand. Sora slid to a halt a few inches away from the edge of the whirlpool and crouched low to the ground. He then extended the Keyblade forward, digging his shoes into the sand in order to stay locked in place.

"Here! Grab onto this!"

All of them turned to look at Sora. Even though he was confused, the young man grabbed onto the end of the Keyblade with one hand, then pulled his other arm out of the quicksand and grabbed it with his other hand. Sora braced himself to be burdened with extra weight, digging his feet deeper into the sand to get a firmer stance. As soon as the young man began to try to pull himself out, the extra weight pulled heavily at Sora's smaller frame.

Sora gritted his teeth as he began to slide through the sand, refusing to let go. The magic carpet immediately flew around so that it was behind Sora and grabbed onto his waist. It then began to pull both Sora and the young man, and soon enough, the young man was freed from the quicksand. He dropped to his knees on the ground and took in deep, calming breaths.

He was just about to thank Sora when Donald and Goofy quickly rejoined them, still holding their weapons. As soon as Sora looked away from the young man, more of the Heartless exploded from the ground, their swords dangerously popping out first. Everyone spun around to look at them.

Goofy groaned. "Gawrsh, not again!"

"I thought you guys took care of 'em!" Sora said in shock, turning to his friends.

"We did!" Donald snapped. "We can't help it if they're annoying!"

Just then, the young man rose to his feet and, shaking his head, pulled out a golden, antique lamp. He held the lamp carefully in one hand as he rubbed its side with the palm of his other hand. He bit down on his lip.

"I sure hope this works," he muttered.

The lamp glowed brilliantly as the young man raised it in the air, and gray blue smoke poured out of the lamp's spout. A smile crossed the young man's face as he watched the air sparkle and the smoke glow.

Suddenly, a loud yell was heard from within the cloud of light and smoke. Everyone turned at the sound of it, just in time to see the smoke disperse and reveal a large, blue-skinned man of some sort. He had to be at least twice Sora's size, though it was hard to tell since he had no legs – only a tail of smoke from his waist down, marked by a thick red band. On each of his wrists was a single sturdy gold cuff. He was almost completely bald, save the small tuft of hair that popped out of the top of his head like a daisy. His ears were long and pointed like an elf's, with a golden earring pierced into his right ear. He stretched his tired limbs as he emerged with a loud yell.

The young man grinned before returning to business. "Genie!" he called. The blue djinn turned to look at him and he pointed at the Heartless. "Get _rid _of these guys!"

The Genie smiled as he turned to look at the shadows, cracking his knuckles.

"Wish Number One, coming right up!" he shouted eagerly.

He then wound up one arm like a baseball pitcher. Genie's eyes seemed to burn excitedly as the wind up became feverish in its pace. But the wind up ended with a sudden halt as Genie quickly composed himself. He then merely snapped his fingers in the air, and in a sudden puff of pink smoke and flares, all of the Heartless that had surrounded them vanished. Genie smiled, blowing the smoke away from the tip of his finger and turning back to bearer of the lamp.

Sora and the others were both surprised and relieved to have had the Heartless vanish so quickly and easily. They immediately relaxed, smiling at one another as they turned around to face the young man with the lamp. Sora had finally figured out who he was.

He was probably about twenty years old. He was well built, with good muscles on his arms and chest. He had dark, shaggy hair that fell slightly into his sharp, dark brown eyes. He was dressed similarly to Abu: on top of his head was a maroon colored fez hat, and he wore a simple purple vest that seemed to be small for him. He had large, baggy pants that had obviously been through much wear and tear. There was even a small patch near the right knee to prove it. They were held around his waist by a thick, brick-red colored band that was similar to the one that the Genie had.

Abu jumped on the young man immediately, screeching something in his monkey chatter, at which the young man merely laughed at.

"C'mon, cut it out, Abu!" he told the monkey, trying his best to sound stern as he spoke.

Sora smiled at him. "You must be Aladdin."

Donald and Goofy turned their wide-eyed gaze on Sora. Finally managing to pull Abu away from his face, the young man looked over at Sora, surprised.

"Uh, yeah. But… who are you guys? And how'd you end up here? This place is quite a ways off from the usual caravan routes."

The trio looked to one another awkwardly, trying to figure out their cover story. They then turned back to Aladdin.

"Well, uh…"

* * *

Everyone had seated themselves on several of the larger rocks that protruded from the desert sands, facing each other. All except for the Genie, who was hovering several feet above everyone in a lying down position, his arms folded behind his head to serve as a pillow. The magic carpet eventually flew in to join them from its dance in the air and rested on the stone nearest Aladdin and Abu.

Donald and Sora had just finished explaining how Abu had snatched Sora's necklace and took them out to the desert to find Aladdin. They also told him about how Donald and Goofy fended off the Heartless (or the monsters, rather) while Sora, Abu, and the carpet helped Aladdin out of the quicksand. It was a short story, but with all the interruptions (including a brief scolding that Aladdin gave Abu about stealing and forgetting his job), it ended up being a bit longer.

"I see," Aladdin said with a laugh. "Thanks, Sora."

"Aladdin, what're you _doing _out here?" Sora asked.

The young man hesitated before answering. He looked over at Abu and the magic carpet slowly. Abu looked at the carpet and smiled before turning back to Aladdin and gestured for him to continue. He then turned back to Sora.

"Same old stuff," Aladdin answered slowly. "Hunting legendary treasure. Just paid a visit to the Cave of Wonders. I found that magic carpet, _and_…" With another cautious glance in Abu's direction, Aladdin held out the golden lamp so everyone could see. "_…_this lamp."

Everyone looked at the lamp curiously, Sora and Goofy's eyes growing wide in wonder as they stared at it. Donald merely gazed at it for a brief moment, his arms stubbornly folded over his chest.

"Just looks like a beat up, worthless piece of junk," the duck grumbled under his breath.

Aladdin hadn't heard him. "Legend has it that whoever holds the lamp can summon the–"

The Genie rolled his eyes and lowered himself from the sky quickly, interrupting Aladdin. "Puh_-lease,_ kid, leave the intros to a _professional_," he said, raising one hand in the air to stop Aladdin from speaking. He then turned to Sora and the others with a large grin and a wink of his eye. "The _one and only_…" The Genie spun around in place like a tornado, making a drum roll for himself before exploding outward and posing excitedly. "…_GENIE OF THE LAMP_!"

Everyone watched with wide-eyes and fascinated smiles on their faces as the Genie proceeded to make an enthusiastic performance out of his own introduction. He bent down and picked the lamp right out of Aladdin's hands and rubbed its side.

"Rub-a-dub-dub the lamp and have your _dearest _wishes granted," he explained. "Today's winner is… _Aladdin_!"

With a puff of smoke, Genie vanished from where he had been and appeared right next to Aladdin. Confetti exploded from the air and rained onto Aladdin's head. Aladdin ran a hand through his hair, somewhat embarrassed. Genie then grabbed Aladdin's other hand and shook it vigorously.

"Congratulations!"

Donald had perked up on the words "dearest wishes granted". He had become very interested in this magic lamp business. "_Any _wish?"

"_Patience_, my fine, feathered friend!" Genie said, suddenly popping up in front of Donald, one large blue hand held up as though to shush the duck. Then he spun around outlandishly and multiplied himself into three. Each of the Genies held up three of their fingers and made their announcement in unison. "Any _three _wishes! A _one _wish, a _two _wish, a _three _wish!"

On the counts of one and two, the copies on the sides vanished with a puff of pink smoke, leaving only the Genie in the middle. The remaining Genie grinned broadly at his audience. "Then I make like a banana and _split_!"

He then snapped his fingers and followed the examples of his copies, vanishing in a puff of bright smoke. The trio exchanged glances. Donald was ruffled slightly by the limit, but when he thought about it, it made perfect sense.

Genie continued with his speech. "Our lucky winner made his first wish…" He then turned to Sora with a wink. "And let me tell you, what a doozy _that _wish was."

Sora could hardly help but laugh aloud at Genie's antics. His grin widening, Genie jumped back again and multiplied himself into two. The two genies went back to back, their arms folded and wide grins on their faces, and did a small, excited dance.

"So he has _two left_!" they announced loudly before they both vanished again in another puff of smoke. Genie reappeared alone elsewhere and turned to Aladdin, having turned the end of his smoke tail into a microphone. A loud drum roll could be heard.

"So, master, what'll you have for Wish Number… _Two_?"

A spotlight appeared over Aladdin's head, bringing everyone's attention back to the young man. Everyone stared at him expectantly, hardly able to wait to see what someone like Aladdin would want most. Aladdin looked confused at first, but then stopped to think, putting his hand under his chin. He cast a sly glance at Abu, and then at Sora, who was still laughing softly at Genie's craziness. He watched Sora quietly for a brief moment before smiling to himself. He then turned to look at Genie.

"How about making me a fabulously wealthy prince?"

Genie practically exploded with excitement. "WHOA! Money! Royalty! Fame! Why didn't _I _think of that?" Genie bowed slightly as he moved to obey, cracking his knuckles. "Okay, you asked for it! A hundred servants and a hundred camels _loaded _with gold! Just say the word and I'll deliver it in 30 minutes or less, or your meal's _free_." He then slung one arm around Aladdin's shoulders. "Hey, I'll even throw in a cappuccino!"

Aladdin laughed, waving his hands in front of him in polite refusal. "No, thanks."

Only then did Genie calm down, backing off slightly. "Okay."

"I think I'll put that on hold until we reach Agrabah," Aladdin said slowly.

"Uh, why a _prince_?" Goofy wanted to know.

The young man's cheeks flushed bright red. Aladdin rubbed the back of his neck and lowered his eyes to the floor. The captain of the guard was confused by this reaction and looked to Donald for help. The duck merely groaned at Goofy's inability to understand and chose not to respond. Goofy then turned to Sora, who was too busy throwing a teasing grin in Aladdin's direction to notice.

"You see, there's this _girl_ in Agrabah…"

Sora's grin broadened. Of _course _there was a girl.

"…Named Jasmine."

The familiar name set off an alarm in Sora's head. He suddenly began to remember everything that had happened in Agrabah. But before he could say anything, Aladdin cut him off, still talking to Goofy.

"But she's a _princess_, and I'm…" He sighed heavily and hung his head. "Aw, she could _never _fall for a guy like _me_."

"Oh." Donald lowered his eyes, putting one hand to the end of his beak. Then he suddenly realized something. "Princess?"

"Jasmine?" Goofy echoed.

"That's right!" Sora exclaimed at last. "She's in trouble, Aladdin!"

"_What_?" Aladdin was hit with an intense sense of urgency. He spun around to look at Abu, an accusing look in his eyes, then turned back to Sora. "Well, c'mon, let's get going!"

The magic carpet lifted up into the air quickly, as though on cue, and Aladdin jumped on board. Abu was quick to complain loudly about making the carpet move suddenly. Aladdin merely flashed a smile and apologized. He then looked over at the Genie with a nod, and the magical being immediately joined his new master.

"Carpet, let's move!" Aladdin said commandingly.

"Wait!"

Before the magic carpet could get far, Donald stepped in their path and put one hand firmly on top of the carpet. His eyes locked with Aladdin's. "We're coming with you."

The young man was surprised. "What?"

"We wanna help Jasmine, too," Sora said firmly as he climbed aboard the magic carpet.

"Really?"

"Sure!" Sora smiled. "Do you trust us?"

Aladdin turned and looked at Sora in surprise. A small, sly grin slowly crept onto Aladdin's face. "Yeah."

Sora's smile grew as Donald and Goofy jumped onto the carpet. "Then let's go!"

"All _right_! Woo, woo, woo, woo!" Genie shouted, pumping one fist into the air enthusiastically. He then moved so that he was in front of the carpet where everyone could see him. He smiled into each of their faces.

"In case of emergency, the exits are..." Arms popped out of the Genie's torso, each of them pointing out in a different direction. "Here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here- Anywhere! Keep your hands and arms inside the carpet!" He demonstrated by squishing his arms to his body. The Genie then returned to normal and grabbed onto the back of the carpet, his smoky tail turning into a fiery rocket engine. "We're _outta here_!"

The Genie's magical engine blasted the carpet and everyone riding it through the sky at top speed, leaving a trail of magical dust behind them, heading in the direction of Agrabah. Sora grinned excitedly as he watched the dunes whiz quickly past. To think that he had previously believed the Gummi ship to be the most amazing way to travel.

Eventually, the carpet began to slow down, the Genie abandoning his position as the engine. He decided to fly alongside the carpet since being an engine was hard work, even for someone of magical origin. Genie took in a deep breath, filling his lungs to capacity, and then released it with a long, contented sigh.

"Ah, fresh air! The great outdoors!"

Sora looked over at the Genie with a lopsided smile. "I guess you don't get out much, huh?"

"Comes with the job," the djinn replied. He puffed himself up to make his voice deep and impressive. "Phenomenal cosmic powers...!" He then shrank down, as though someone had burst his balloon. "Itty bitty living space." Genie sighed. "It's always three wishes, then back to my portable prison. I'm lucky to see the light of day every century or two..."

Everyone fell silent, dropping their gazes. Sora bit back his tongue, somewhat ashamed to have brought up the subject. Donald was ashamed to have considered abusing the three wishes. Not one of them had even considered the idea of genies feeling like prisoners.

"Say, Genie," Aladdin said at length. "What if I use my last wish to free you from the lamp?"

All eyes turned on the young man in astonishment. Aladdin glanced back at everyone and smiled broadly. He then turned so that he could see the Genie. The Genie's eyes were wide and an excited smile was slowly making its way onto his face. Aladdin laughed softly.

"What do you think?"

The Genie could hardly hold back his excitement. "You'd _do _that?"

Aladdin's smile grew. "Genie, it's a _promise_. _After _we help Jasmine."

* * *

It wasn't long before they reached the outskirts of Agrabah. They decided to land the carpet just outside of the city walls, since flying into the city could possibly attract Jafar's attention. As the carpet slowly descended to the ground, Genie had assumed the appearance of a flight attendant and was standing at the front of the carpet. Everyone's attention was on him as he spoke.

"Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs," he said in a tone that was altogether too cheerful. "Please remain seated until the rug has come to a full and complete stop." Genie then made himself look like a stern Spanish man. "_Permanecer sentados, por favor._"

Donald and Goofy grinned secretly to themselves, as though they knew something that the others didn't. Sora looked at them in confusion, tilting his head to one side, but his companions merely waved him off. Aladdin, Abu, and Sora looked at one another and shrugged. They then disembarked, the rug turning one end into a staircase for its passengers to descend.

"Thank you!" the Genie continued, still in attendant mode. "Goodbye now! Goodbye!"

As soon as everyone had disembarked, the carpet returned to normal and positioned itself at Genie's side. Everyone then entered the dusty streets of Agrabah, walking as quickly as they could without looking too suspicious. Sora, Donald, and Goofy had spent the remainder of the trip to Agrabah telling Aladdin the details of what happened with Jafar and Jasmine. The young man had listened intently to the story, a serious, determined look in his eyes.

"So, Jafar is after Jasmine and this 'Keyhole'."

"Keyhole, eh?" Genie repeated, somewhat fascinated. "I could _swear _I've heard that somewhere before..."

Donald looked at the Genie in surprise. "Really? Where?"

The Genie folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head to one side. "Now, where was it? It's only been two hundred years..."

The trio looked anxiously at the djinn, waiting for him to remember. Aladdin and Abu looked at one another, confused. The monkey switched his gaze from Aladdin's face to Sora's and back again before shrugging in defeat. At length the Genie gave up, shaking his head. The trio exchanged glances.

"Well, anyway," Sora said, quickening his step. "We've got to stop Jafar before it's too late."

"You're right," Aladdin said with a nod. "We've gotta help Jasmine."

Agrabah was just as empty and abandoned as it had been before. The only difference was the long shadows that stretched across the streets and the deep orange tint that had settled over the city. Aladdin gazed about him in astonishment as they walked down the main road toward the palace. He had never seen the streets of Agrabah empty in his entire life. The mere thought of a city (especially one as busy as Agrabah) without life was frightening.

The party had just barely reached the heart of the city when the "welcoming committee" appeared before them. The usual Heartless bandits had made their presence known, their glowing eyes seeming especially threatening in the dimming light. Sora groaned at the sight of them and took out the Keyblade. Abu screeched loudly in fright and hid, turning himself into a hump on Aladdin's back while Aladdin merely stared at the Heartless solemnly. He then looked up at the Genie, who was hovering alongside the carpet behind everyone.

"Can you do something about these guys, Genie?"

The Genie tapped the tips of his fingers together thoughtfully. "Is that an official wish?"

Aladdin was about to say that it was when Sora grabbed onto Aladdin's arm to stop him. Sora smiled slightly.

"Don't you think that's a teensy weensy bit of a waste there, Aladdin?"

The Heartless then pounced, propelling themselves forward with their blades first. Sora and Aladdin dodged the attack swiftly while Goofy used his shield to protect himself and Donald. Unable to do anything without an official command, the Genie ducked into the magic lamp in a puff of smoke. Donald's first move was to cast Aero on everyone, protecting them with bubbles of spinning air. Sora and Aladdin then charged, the Keyblade tight in Sora's grip as he thrust it forward. Aladdin nimbly dodged the attacks of the Heartless, sometimes missing the edge of the scimitars by a hair and causing Abu to scream in panic.

"I forgot to ask before," Aladdin said evenly, "but what _are _these things?"

Goofy glanced at Aladdin. "Ahyuk! These guys're--"

"Monsters!" Donald interrupted quickly as he whacked one over the head.

Sora nodded nervously. "R-Right. Jafar must've made 'em. Y'know. Him and his evil powers, or whatever."

"Ah," Aladdin smiled, snatching a scimitar right out of a bandit's grip. "That'd explain why they're not that smart!"

The Key bearer glanced over at Aladdin as he defeated a Heartless with its own sword. Sora laughed, pushing one of the Heartless back with the length of the Keyblade.

"Now I know where Abu gets his thief skills," Sora said with a lopsided grin.

Aladdin laughed. "I taught him everything he knows."

"Kudos, then!" Sora said as he slashed triumphantly through the Heartless. "You guys are really good at that."

"Well, y'know," Aladdin replied, shrugging. "Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat. With the way the people of Agrabah are taxed, we have no choice but to steal."

Sora knocked another Heartless away. He then looked over at Abu, who was peering out of his hiding place in Aladdin's vest. Sora smiled.

"Just make sure he doesn't steal anything from me anymore."

The young thief grinned. "Deal."

"Y'mean from _us_, right?" Donald pitched in.

Sora looked thoughtful for a moment. "Nah, he can steal stuff from you."

The duck shot a ball of fire dangerously close to Sora's head. Alarmed, the boy froze in place, his eyes wide. He managed to slowly turn his head to look at Donald.

"I was just kidding, Donald!"

Donald nodded apathetically. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Goofy laughed. "Ahyuk! Good one, Sora!"

As soon as the Bandit Heartless were out of the way, everyone continued down the main street. On the way, Aladdin apologized for not completely trusting them before. He then continued to explain that Jafar was under the delusion that Agrabah was his to control, so if he _had_ captured Jasmine, he would be headed for the palace. The idea of going to the palace was exciting to Sora; he'd never been around any _real _royalty until he met Jasmine. But as his thoughts centered around Jafar, he became increasingly angry and impatient to reach the palace, running faster and leaving the others behind. He would beat that evil vizier into a pulp until he begged for mercy.

The palace seemed to grow larger and larger as they ran down the street toward it. The deep shadows strewn across its surface seemed to make it look less majestic and more menacing. As they drew closer to the palace, a dark feeling of foreboding slowly overcame them. The party continued to run forward in spite of it.

It wasn't long before the palace was looming high over their heads. Sora could make out the outline of what appeared to be a tall man in a cape standing in front of the wooden doors. He gritted his teeth, drawing the Keyblade and tightening his grip around its hilt.

"JAFAAAR!"

The royal vizier turned around slowly, a wicked, knowing glimmer in his beady eyes. Princess Jasmine's eyes grew wide when she saw Sora and the others coming for her. She struggled against Jafar, who was holding her firmly by the shoulders to prevent her from escaping. A grin slowly spread across Jafar's thin face as he saw Sora and the others approaching.

"No, stay--!"

Jafar clasped one hand over Jasmine's mouth. He chuckled to himself, amused. "So the heroes have at last arrived."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy screeched to a halt about ten feet away, their weapons drawn. They all glared at Jafar as he stifled Jasmine's screaming and struggling. The vizier grinned at the so-called heroes, which only made Sora even angrier. He would smack that grin right off of his face.

"We won't let you get away with this, Jafar!" Sora shouted forcefully. "Give Jasmine _back_!"

It was only then that Aladdin arrived on the scene, riding the magic carpet with Abu. The carpet stopped nearby and Aladdin disembarked, giving Sora a pleading look.

"Aw, c'mon, guys. That's my line..."

Sora winced as though he had been hit. He looked over at Aladdin apologetically. "Oops. Sorry, man."

Jafar released an evil cackle, still holding Jasmine fast by her shoulders. His beady eyes wandered amusedly from Aladdin to Sora. Jasmine pounded on the hand that covered her mouth, trying to tear it away.

"Setting your sights a little high, aren't you, boy?" Jafar said mockingly to Sora.

The Key bearer looked back at Jafar and ground his teeth together. His hold on the Keyblade tightened and Sora's entire body trembled. The vizier then turned to look at Aladdin, his face twisting in disgust.

"Back to your hole, _street rat_," Jafar snapped at Aladdin. "I will not allow you to trouble the princess any more."

Aladdin flinched at being called a street rat. Jafar then forcefully pushed Jasmine toward the palace walls. Jasmine tumbled to the floor, kicking up a small cloud of dust around her. Jafar watched her for a moment out of the corner of his eye. Aladdin took a step forward, his eyes wide.

"JASMINE!"

The princess looked back at Aladdin desperately. "I'm so sorry, Aladdin."

Jafar grinned wickedly as he returned his attention to the heroes in front of him. Sora, Donald and Goofy prepared themselves to fight while Aladdin discreetly pulled out the magic lamp and rubbed it behind his back.

"Genie," he whispered. "Help Jasmine. _Please_!"

Before a battle could begin, the Genie appeared behind Jafar in a puff of blue smoke. The vizier turned around to see the blue djinn scoop Jasmine carefully into his arms and float upwards. Genie grinned at everyone's surprised looks.

"One wish left!" he announced. "You're making this _really easy_, you know."

Just as everyone thought they had been victorious in rescuing Jasmine, Jafar's chuckle ruined it. The vizier turned to look at Aladdin, a malicious grin on his face.

"So _sorry_, boy!" he cackled. "I'm afraid your second wish has been _denied_."

Confused, Aladdin looked down into his hand and gasped to find that the lamp had been snatched right out of his hands. He practically jumped back in shock. He then began to pat himself down, hoping beyond hope that it was still somewhere with him. Unfortunately, a small red parrot had grabbed the lamp. The parrot looked at Aladdin and grinned menacingly as he handed it to Jafar. Aladdin's heart skipped a beat as he watched the vizier's long, bony fingers close around the lamp.

"Excellent work, Iago," he said to the parrot.

The Genie's heart sunk as he felt the transfer of power. His arms automatically lowered, releasing Jasmine and finally dropping her.

"I'm sorry, Al," he said sadly.

The princess screamed as she fell into a large clay pot just beneath the Genie. As soon as the Genie vanished in a bright puff of smoke, the pot instantly sprouted spider-like legs from its sides and scurried to Jafar's side. Jafar placed a lid over the mouth of the jar and began to cackle.

"The great lamp doth change hands," he grinned, exchanging malicious looks with his parrot partner. Iago grinned the same grin as Jafar and they both turned to glare mockingly at the heroes.

Donald and Goofy looked at Sora. "Now what do we do?"

"We just get Jasmine and the lamp back," he answered. "We'll beat the skinny guy into a pulp, bust open that jar, and that'll be the end of it."

Jafar and Iago both laughed wickedly upon hearing the Keyblade master's plan. Their laughing grew louder and louder until it was practically echoing across the entire city of Agrabah. Sora narrowed his eyes at him.

"What's so funny?" Sora growled.

"The mere idea of a small boy defeating the likes of me," Jafar laughed. "Keyblade or no, you could _never _win over me."

Sora narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth together. "Why, you...!"

Jafar's grin grew. "And now, I bid you all farewell."

Aladdin gasped at this and jumped forward. "Hey, wait a minute!"

The vizier then pointed at the heroes, as though he was commanding an army. "Attack!"

What happened next seemed like something out of a movie. As Jafar and his parrot took their leave, vanishing without a trace, every single pot and jar in the area came to life, sprouting legs and scurrying quickly toward Sora's group. Two of them burst open to reveal the tail and the head of something that looked like a blue-gray centipede. Sora knew right away that it was another variation of the Heartless.

"JAFAR!" Aladdin shouted. "Get back here, you cowardly snake!"

"Aladdin!" Goofy grabbed him by his shoulders. "He's already gone."

"Yep," Donald grumbled. "And we've been stuck with these guys."

Then all of the pots and jars joined together, turning themselves into a long body for the centipede. Jasmine's cries of helps could be heard from within one of the jars, but it was difficult to tell which one it was since it was always moving. The pot centipede moved itself around so that it had the group surrounded. Everyone pressed their backs together, their weapons drawn.

"Okay, let's get Jasmine first," Aladdin said firmly.

Everyone else nodded. "Right."

The pot centipede turned its head so that its glowing yellow eyes were on Sora. As everyone split up in different directions, the centipede made a vicious charge at him. Sora gasped in surprise to find himself targeted and jumped backward, blocking the attack with the length of the Keyblade. He clenched his jaw, realizing that he was being overpowered. The centipede stared straight into Sora's face, its antennae glowing and flailing about in the air. Sora shouted out as one successfully managed to scratch his cheek, but did his best to keep his guard up. The pot centipede then shoved Sora back and threw him to the floor. As he tumbled across the dusty street, the Heartless turned its attention to the others.

In the meantime, Donald, Goofy, and Aladdin had been tearing their way through the numerous pots and jars. However, it seemed as though for every jar that they destroyed, a new one would appear in its place, making Donald increasingly frustrated.

"This is never gonna end!" he wailed as he blew up another jar.

"Don't give up!" Goofy encouraged him.

"Aladdin!" Jasmine cried. "Help!"

"Jasmine!" the young thief shouted as he ran toward a jar and looked inside. Upon discovering that it was empty, Aladdin immediately destroyed it and ran to another. "_Jasmine_!"

The pot centipede activated its tails, making it glow and flail in the air just as its antennae had. The two, whip-like tails successfully struck everyone that was in its path, knocking them back. Though they tried, no one was able to get in a single decent blow. It was a perfect offensive defense.

Sora raised himself slightly, wiping away the blood from the cut in his cheek. He looked toward the battlefield desperately, only to see that the Heartless had the advantage. Clenching his fingers around the Keyblade, Sora cursed under his breath, turning away as though he couldn't watch anymore. That's when he saw the small, amber-colored stone that seemed to glow with life, lying a few feet away from him on the sandy ground. He blinked in mild confusion.

"How did...? Must have fallen out of my pocket when I fell..."

Goofy fell to the floor with a loud thud, a cloud of dust rising up around him. Donald immediately rushed to his side, activating his Cure spell, but was quickly interrupted by a strike from the pot centipede's antennae. Aladdin continued to look for Jasmine, following her desperate cries for help.

The Keyblade master reached for the stone.

With a loud, incomprehensible wail, Donald was sent flying down the main street. The captain of the guard moved in quickly, his shield up in front of his face, only to have his feet swept out from beneath him. Aladdin took a hit to the gut as the tails interrupted his latest attempt to destroy one of the jars.

As he took the rock into his hands, Sora could feel it pulsating. As he brought it closer to him, it began to glow softly. And strangely enough, he could hear a faint voice.

"Sora!" Donald shouted, casting a thunder spell over the pot centipede's head. "What're you doing?"

"We need yer help!" Goofy added.

His eyes grew wide as he listened to it slowly become louder and louder. It sounded like the growl of a wild animal, and although Sora couldn't understand what it was saying with his head, he could understand it with his heart. And he felt the faded voice could be trusted. He clutched the stone in his hand and brought it close.

Aladdin managed to dodge another one of the centipede's attacks. He swung his sword at the pot centipede again, missing. Aladdin cursed under his breath and turned toward Sora.

"Sora, help us out!"

Donald looked sharply over his shoulder. "Sora!"

Sora shut his eyes, his grip around the stone tightening. "Give me strength," he whispered in an almost prayer-like fashion.

"What're you--"

Before the duck could finish his sentence, everyone in the area was blown away by what happened next.

The stone suddenly lit up in Sora's hand, beams of light escaping brilliantly through the cracks in his fingers. A force exploded outward in a circle around Sora, knocking everyone to the floor. Donald quacked and wailed loudly as his light-weight body tumbled across the ground until Goofy managed to catch him. Aladdin shook his head vigorously, one hand gently rubbing the spot that had bumped the floor. He looked at Sora in surprise.

"What's going on?" he shouted to Donald and Goofy.

They shook their heads, their mouths agape, unable to answer.

Sora chucked the stone lightly in front of him and then quickly thrust the tip of the Keyblade forward, stabbing the amber-colored stone at exactly the right moment. The stone attached to the Keyblade, flashing with a bright golden light. Sora adjusted his hold on the Keyblade and turned it as though he had inserted it into a keyhole. An orb of yellow-green light immediately appeared at the tip of the Keyblade. Sora pulled the weapon back, swinging it so that it was behind him, and then swung it back in a wide circle until it was positioned over his head. Beams of light shot out of the floor around Sora's feet and quickly spiraled upward, swallowing him in a spiral of blue light. Sparks flitted all around as the beams slowly came together, circling one another, creating an orb of bright light.

As the light finally began to dissipate, the silhouette of a majestic figure appeared. For a long moment it merely looked down to where Sora and the others stood as though he were a heavenly being in the clouds. Then it stepped forward, and all the shadow that had once encased the figure mysteriously vanished, revealing a majestic lion with a floppy red mane. He looked at Sora with eyes that glittered with intelligence.

Donald, Goofy, and Aladdin were awestruck. Even the pot centipede halted in its tracks and looked up at the lion. Sora smiled, looking at the lion warmly as though they were old friends, even though he didn't know how that could be.

The lion seemed to smile slightly as he took another step forward and unleashed a mighty roar that echoed down the streets of Agrabah and over the desert sands. The pot centipede froze and all of the jars that made up its body rattled against one another loudly. The king of beasts leapt down to the ground, landing gracefully by Sora's side.

"You ready, Simba?" he asked the lion.

The proud animal nodded in response. Sora smiled at him, nodding, and then both boy and beast turned their attention to the pot centipede. The Heartless monster flinched slightly at the sight of their serious faces. The Keyblade began to flash yellow as Sora held it in one hand slightly behind him, charging up energy. The fur on Simba's back bristled with majestic power as he bore his pearly white fangs, a dangerous growl rumbling deep in his throat. They aimed for the pot centipede, which stood ten feet away, trembling violently.

Aladdin staggered to his feet, his eyes growing wide. "Wait!"

Magical energy coursed through their bodies. Sora's hair rippled in an unseen wind, the fur of Simba's mane bushed about his head. Their eyes were shut as their energy built up, forming a golden glow around them. Then suddenly they both flashed brilliantly, reaching full power. Sora reared the Keyblade back, preparing to swing the weapon with all his might.

Donald and Goofy looked at Aladdin. "What's wrong?"

"Sora, stop! You'll hit Jasmine!"

His eyes snapped open. Jasmine was still in one of those pots! But by the time Aladdin's words registered in Sora's mind, it was too late. He had already swung the Keyblade and Simba had simultaneously released a powerful roar. Beams of energy blasted through the pot centipede, cutting a straight line through its body from head to tail. Everyone watched, partly horrified and partly amazed, as all of the jars shattered in turn, blasting wide open one after the other. The head and tail of the pot centipede vanished, having been torn through like paper, dissipating into the air like smoke.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the spectacle until the light around Sora dimmed and he dropped to his knees, exhausted. The Keyblade was instantly put away as Sora took in deep breaths. Simba had disappeared, leaving the amber-colored stone in his wake. It spun in the air for a moment, still glowing, until the light finally went out and the rock dropped to the sandy floor.

Everyone hurried toward Sora and helped him to his feet. "What was that?" they all asked him. "What did you do?"

Sora dusted himself off for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. "I... I heard Simba's voice when I picked up that rock. And I just... I called him, I guess. And he came."

He picked up the amber-colored rock and raised it so everyone could see. Goofy and Aladdin peered at the rock in fascination. Sora grinned.

"Just like the Fairy Godmother said."

Donald just scoffed and turned away stubbornly, folding his arms over his chest.

"That still doesn't explain much," he grumbled as Sora put the stone away.

Goofy smiled. "That's some powerful magic, huh, Donald?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

After a moment, Aladdin glanced at Donald and Goofy out of the corner of his eye, slightly confused. "Um... what's a fairy godmother?"

Realizing his mistake, Sora flinched slightly as he looked to his friends for help. Donald had gone rigid, his eyes wide, while Goofy remained blissfully unaware. The dog merely laughed as he looked over at Aladdin and began to explain.

"The Fairy Godmother is this nice old lady that knows magic!" he said cheerily.

"So... she's like a genie?"

"Something like that," Sora answered quickly. He laughed, hoping that Aladdin wouldn't notice the nervousness in his tone.

The young Arabian looked confused. "Okay..."

Sora laughed again as he turned to look at what was left of the battle scene. Shards of clay were scattered haphazardly across the sandy floor. A few had flown so quickly that they had been embedded into the walls. Others had been sent so high into the sky that they were only then falling back to the earth. As Sora scanned the scene, he realized that, despite the fact that all of the jars were smashed to bits, there wasn't a single trace of the princess.

"Uh... guys?" he asked quietly. "Where's Jasmine?"

Everyone's attention immediately returned to their reality. Their eyes swept over the area, searching for signs of the princess. Aladdin leapt to his feet, running forward so that he was in the middle of all the remains. He looked around him, almost frantic, spinning in place.

"Jasmine!" Aladdin called. "_Jasmine_!"

"Gawrsh, they musta taken her away," Goofy muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"It was a trick," Donald grunted. "A decoy."

Sora rose to his full height, his eyes sweeping over the area. "So then... Jasmine was never really left behind."

Aladdin clenched his fists angrily. "Jafar took her with him and left us..."

"To deal with the monster," Sora finished. "We played right into his hands."

In a fit of frustration, Aladdin pounded one fist into the nearest object; half of a wooden barrel that smashed upon impact. As though on cue, the sound of Jafar's evil cackle echoed off the sandstone walls, seemingly coming from everywhere at once.

Goofy tilted his head to one side. "Was that Jafar?"

"Come out and fight us, you corrupt vizier!"

Donald prepared himself to fight. "Where's it coming from?"

The laughter continued for a moment longer and then faded away. Everyone spun around in place, scanning their surroundings for signs of Jafar. Nothing. Sora clenched his fists at his side.

"That freaky vizier. Where'd he run off to?"

"Probably off to that 'Keyhole' he wants," Aladdin grumbled. "If only we knew where it was. Then maybe we could beat him to it."

Suddenly, Sora perked up. He turned to Aladdin quickly. "Where'd you get the Genie?"

Aladdin was caught off guard by the question. "The... Cave of Wonders."

"Can you take us there?"

Everyone looked at Sora in confusion. He ignored their looks. His eyes were wide as his mind quickly processed the information. "Jafar might be there."

"What do you mean?"

"The Genie said that he'd heard of the Keyhole before, right?"

Goofy and Aladdin nodded. "Right..."

"So... the Keyhole might be..."

"In the Cave of Wonders!" Donald finished excitedly. He looked at Sora, impressed. "Wow! So you _do _have a brain!"

Sora shot Donald an angry look. "Would you stop saying that?"

Meanwhile, Aladdin smiled as hope was restored. He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly, calling the magic carpet back. As soon as it arrived, Aladdin hopped on and turned to the others. Abu, who had been on the carpet the entire time, made a confused noise as he stared at his best friend.

"To the desert! Come on, let's move!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Back to my policy on no names until someone says it. "Awhr ra din" is my attempt at converting Abu's way of saying "Aladdin" into text. And since "Awhr ra din" is not really his name, I still called him "the young man" until Sora figured it out. Jasmine said the name before, but there was no face attached. Sora's a smart kid, he put two and two together.  
Ugh... Genie's speech. I love to watch it, but it's near impossible to explain in words. sigh I tried, and I hope it's okay. For those of you who've played the game, you know what it looks like. For those of you who haven't, I hope it came across okay. Apologies if it got confusing.  
I was stuck on this chapter for the longest time.  
Got the Simba summon in. Sorry for not making him talk. I couldn't figure out what on earth he could possibly say that would make sense. And he would have such a short period of time to actually be there... so, yeah. Sorry to disappoint in that regard.

"Is it... safe?" "Sure! Do you trust me?" "... What...?" "Do you trust me?" "...Yes."


	21. One Jump Ahead

_**Kingdom Hearts**  
**by hikaranko**_

**Summary:** This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **it's been a long time coming, but writer's block sucks. plus the fact that I've been so distracted writing Cerulean Silver vs Amber Gold (the ideas just come out one after the other, it's fairly easy to write), this story just keeps getting pushed away... this is taking me forever to write, but I hope that people are still reading. I _do _intend to finish this, I am _so _excited to get to Hollow Bastion it's not even funny! so thanks for your patience, and here's your reward. :) (it's a good thing my chapters are long, hope this is worth the wait)

**

* * *

**

**_Chapter 20  
_One Jump Ahead**

_Agrabah_

Night had fallen over the desert, washing the entire landscape with shades of blue and gray. It would have been pitch black if it weren't for the many stars that dotted the sky and the bright full moon. The sand had changed colors from golden-brown to snow white and blue-grey.

The magic carpet circled over the dunes as though it was scouting the area. It zigzagged across the night sky for a few moments before finally descending to the ground, rejoining its comrades. It had taken a long time to find, but they had finally arrived at the Cave of Wonders; the place where Aladdin found the magic lamp, as well as the potential resting place of the Keyhole. When they arrived, everyone knew almost instinctively that their hunch had been right; the entrance to the cave was open.

The entrance to the Cave of Wonders was in the form of a mighty tiger head, made entirely out of sand. The guardian tiger's mouth was wide open, baring its huge fangs. A warm light emitted from somewhere deep within its throat, casting an orange glow over the small area before it. The tiger head could be seen moving, taking in deep breaths through its open mouth. Two large, glowing eyes stared down at everyone as though analyzing and judging them. The guardian tiger then growled, sending deep tremors through the ground and knocking everyone down.

**"Who disturbs my slumber?" **the guardian roared.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy could do little more than stare. The carpet hovered nearby, wringing its hand-like tassels. Abu concealed himself within Aladdin's vest once again, peering out at the tiger head. Aladdin and Sora turned to look at one another, Sora's eyes wide as saucers. Aladdin then gestured for Sora to introduce himself, much to Sora's horror.

"Wh-Why _me_?" he asked.

"It already knows who _I _am," Aladdin said. He shot an accusing look at Abu. "And I don't think it's too happy with me right now. It has to be you."

Sora swallowed hard, slowly rising to his feet. He took a few steps forward, watching the sandy tiger head grow larger and larger with each step. Sora could feel the guardian breathing, creating a breeze that moved gently back and forth, shuffling through his spiky hair. He nervously peered into the tiger's throat, looking to see what was inside. He almost immediately took a small step back.

"I... I don't know about this..."

"It's okay, Sora," Aladdin said encouragingly. "Just say your name. Don't worry, it's not gonna bite you."

The carpet floated forward and pushed Sora gently toward the entrance. Sora swallowed as the tiger head turned its glowing eyes on Sora. He closed his eyes and breathed, gathering courage. He then stepped forward, running a hand through his spiky hair.

"Uh... I... I'm Sora."

For a long time, nothing happened. The tiger head merely stared at Sora, considering him. Grains of sand rolled off of its surface as the tiger head raised its eyebrows. Sora swallowed hard, anxiety overwhelming him. He looked over his shoulder at Aladdin, biting down on his lip.

"Wh-What do I do now?"

Aladdin's eyes were wide. "I... I dunno..."

**"You who bear the key..."**

Suddenly everyone fell silent, their gazes turning back to the great tiger head. Goofy froze mid-sob, staring up at the entrance to the Cave of Wonders as it spoke in its deep, rumbling voice.

**"One step closer to universal balance come. Seal away the corrupt and wicked."**

The tiger head then opened its mouth wide and froze, falling silent once again. Aladdin blinked, surprised and confused all at once. Abu emerged slightly from his hiding place in Aladdin's vest and also gaped up at the tiger head. The two thieves looked at one another, stunned. Donald glanced at Sora, looking at him as though the boy had done something wrong. Sora noticed that and shrugged his shoulders helplessly. How was he supposed to know what everything meant? He didn't really understand much of anything anymore.

After a moment, Aladdin moved forward. "I guess... we're allowed inside."

Slowly, everyone followed Aladdin and approached the mouth of the cave. Stepping cautiously up onto the lower lip, they peered into the tiger's throat once again. A warm, golden glow engulfed their field of vision, coming from somewhere deep within the cave. Their eyes went wide as they watched the tiger's tongue transform into a long flight of stairs.

"Ya sure we gotta go this way?" Goofy ventured. "There are no other stairs? With rails?"

No one answered him. Aladdin pressed his lips together and entered, taking the first step. The carpet followed after him, glancing back once at the others and gesturing for them to follow. Nervous, Goofy moved behind Sora and put his hands on Sora's shoulders. Donald blinked as he stared into the orange glow, stunned, before turning to Sora. Sora glanced at his friends and then back inside. Aladdin was already ahead of them, moving as quickly as he could while still being careful. Sora drew in a breath and nodded to himself, pushing away his fear.

"Come on, you guys."

With that, they descended the long stairway and plunged deeper into the Cave of Wonders.

Goofy swallowed hard. "Not even a handicap ramp?"

At first, there seemed to be nothing. Just huge, empty rooms with high walls made of stone. The moonlight shone into the cave through the guardian's open mouth, casting a dim blue light across half of the cave. Further down the stairs, the source of the orange glow was visible; a small stone doorway into another room.

Everyone regrouped at the bottom of the long staircase, just to make sure they were still together, and then entered the next room. Sora and the others peered into the room carefully, curious to see what could be creating the glow. The doorway opened up into a huge cavern, filled to the ceiling with various golden treasures: coins, scepters, treasure chests, goblets, statues, and much more. Sora, Donald, and Goofy found themselves rooted to the spot as they stared at the contents of the room in awe. Donald in particular was practically drooling with treasure-lust.

"Wouldja look at that," Sora breathed.

A smile washed over Goofy's face. "Gawrsh! Just a handful of this stuff would make us richer than... than..."

Aladdin glanced at Goofy and grinned. "Than the sultan?"

Goofy blinked at the unfamiliar term. "A sultan?"

Sora's eyes went wide. "Yeah! Than the sultan!" he interjected quickly. "That's what you meant, right, Goofy?"

Aladdin laughed, not noticing the nervous tone in Sora's voice. "That's what I said when we first laid eyes on this place."

The young thief then turned and continued on his way through the cave. Sora breathed a sigh of relief before following. Goofy was still confused, and so he turned to Donald.

"Uh... what's a sultan?"

Donald didn't answer. He and Abu had been staring at the mountains of gold coins that lay spread out over the cavern since they entered the room. Their jaws simultaneously dropped open and they practically drooled at the sight. With a grin on his face, Abu leapt forward, only to have Aladdin quickly catch him by his vest. Abu flailed for a moment, screeching and reaching desperately for the gold pieces that were right in front of him. Aladdin frowned at his best friend.

"Abu!"

The monkey immediately froze, his eyes wide. Abu turned his head around slowly, so that he could see the stern look on Aladdin's face.

"Don't. Touch. _Anything_. I _mean _it, Abu."

A sheepish grin spread across Abu's face. Aladdin merely raised an eyebrow in response, the warning message evident in his expression. Abu then sighed sadly, hanging his head in shame. Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked at one another in confusion as Abu was released from Aladdin's grasp and stubbornly clambered back onto Aladdin's back, grumbling under his breath.

Goofy blinked. "What's wrong?"

Aladdin looked at the others over his shoulder. "It's just... When you're here, don't touch _any _of the treasure that you see. Okay?"

"Why not?" Donald asked, disappointed.

"It's just a rule. Bad things happen if you touch stuff you're not supposed to."

The magic carpet wagged one tassel in the air, emphasizing Aladdin's point. Sora nodded, understanding perfectly and stepped forward.

"We should hurry up, anyway," he said. "We've gotta find the Keyhole before Jafar does."

"Yeah," Aladdin agreed with a nod. "Let's move."

Aladdin then turned around and resumed walking with the magic carpet close behind. Donald and Goofy looked at each other and shrugged before doing the same. Sora, on the other hand, had suddenly found himself frozen in place. In the midst of all the golden glimmer of treasure that filled the room, his eyes had caught on one item in particular.

Stuck underneath the lid of one of the golden treasure chests was a sheet of paper. Its edges were torn and browned with age. There seemed to be some writing and images on its surface, but Sora couldn't quite make it out from that distance. It was completely out of place amidst the glittering jewels and the golden sheen of the chest that it was caught in. For some reason, Sora couldn't take his eyes off of it. As everyone moved to follow Aladdin out of the room, Sora slowly approached the chest and crouched nearby, staring at the piece of torn paper.

Donald glanced back over his shoulder before exiting the room. He stared at Sora in confusion, his brow furrowing.

"Hey Sora!"

Sora quickly looked toward Donald, his eyes slightly wide. "Yeah?"

"Hurry up!"

"Oh! Right..."

The duck shook his head slowly as Sora rose to his feet. Sora was about to move toward the exit when he halted suddenly. He spun on the ball of his foot, snatched the torn piece of paper from where it was lodged and put it away. He didn't know what it was, but Sora knew that he couldn't just leave it behind. Donald watched him, slightly confused, but said nothing. Then both of them exited the treasure room, hurrying to catch up with Aladdin and the others.

"ABU! NO!"

The sound of Aladdin's voice bounced off of the stone walls, echoing throughout the empty cavern. Donald and Sora stopped short in surprise. They looked at one another in surprise.

"What was that?"

Soon afterward came a rumbling noise and the ground began to shake, slightly at first, but slowly getting stronger. It wasn't long before Aladdin and Goofy came into view, turning the corner and running toward Sora and Donald. The carpet followed after them with Abu on its back. As soon as they saw Sora and Donald, Goofy waved his arms in the air.

"Run for yer lives!" he wailed.

They were stunned. "W-What?"

"JUST _RUN_!" Aladdin yelled.

They took a few halting steps backward, Sora searching for whatever it was that Aladdin and Goofy were running from. However, Aladdin gave him little time to do so. As soon as he could, Aladdin grabbed Sora by the arm and pulled him away. Goofy did the same for Donald.

"What's going on?" Sora asked.

"Abu set off a trap!" Aladdin answered. "Again!"

Sora blinked. "Trap?"

"See for yourself!"

Hesitantly, Sora glanced back over his shoulder. A giant ball of stone was rolling down a smooth pathway that was apparently carved into the stone floors. It crashed noisily into anything that happened to be in its path and made the ground shake violently. Due to the slight downward slope, the ball was picking up speed as it rolled.

Sora's eyes went wide. "WHOA!"

He then broke free of Aladdin's grip and started to run as fast as he could. It wasn't long before Donald saw what was behind them as well, and a loud string of incoherent wailing followed. The carpet caught up to Aladdin and flew quickly alongside him. Aladdin glanced at Abu, frowning.

"You just couldn't stay away from the glowing red gem, huh?" Aladdin grumbled.

The little monkey smiled sheepishly. Aladdin faced forward with a roll of his eyes.

"We're _never _coming back here."

Everyone ran as fast as they could, not knowing where they were going. They weaved their way among pillars, half expecting the impacts to slow the boulder down. Of course, this did nothing but make the cavern rumble and rain debris over their heads. They ignored the few groups of Heartless that appeared, knowing they were just going to be crushed beneath the boulder. Donald and Sora even tried casting various spells on the boulder, but to no avail. They had no choice but to run for all they were worth.

They screeched to a halt as they reached the edge of what looked like a bottomless pit. Goofy almost didn't stop in time, but Aladdin and Sora managed to catch him by the arm. With wide eyes, everyone stared down into the chasm.

"Now what?" Donald shouted.

Aladdin took in a deep breath. "We jump!"

All eyes turned to Aladdin in horror. "_What_!"

"We don't have a choice!"

"You sure about this?" Sora asked.

"Trust me," Aladdin assured him.

He clenched and unclenched his fists as he took a step toward the edge, his heart racing as his blue eyes quickly scanned the dark abyss before him. Donald and Goofy watched, horrified.

"Sora, _no_!"

"C'mon, guys! Would you rather get run over?"

Donald and Goofy looked behind them. The boulder would turn them into pancakes in a matter of seconds. They turned back, shaking their heads. Sora then hurried over and grabbed Donald and Goofy, pulling them down with him into the depths of the chasm. Aladdin followed soon after. The boulder soon after that. Goofy and Donald's screaming could be heard all the way from the ceiling of the cavern. With a howl from Abu, the magic carpet dove in after them.

* * *

The cavern stone walls arched upward, creating a wide octagonal room. Statues of strange-looking creatures with large, glowing gems in their outstretched hands lined the upper portion of the walls at regular intervals. Thick pillars of stone seemed to support the walls and ceiling, each of them with a fiery torch attached to light up the cavern. The thick layer of sand that covered the floor gave way toward the middle of the room, revealing the blue-gray of the stone underneath. The stone floor bulged up in the center due to what had once been a fountain of fresh water. Its mouth was mostly blocked off by a large stone slab, but a small amount of water still leaked from it, creating a shallow moat where the stone floor dipped below the layer of sand. 

Jafar stood in the very center of the room, smiling wickedly to himself with Iago perched on his shoulder. The legged jar tipped itself over and spilled its contents on the ground near Jafar's feet. Jasmine tumbled out and laid unconscious. Jafar's smile darkened at the sight of the princess. Then, exchanging a look with Iago as though checking for approval, Jafar zapped the jar with his snake staff, making it explode into pieces. Genie, who had been hovering nearby, flinched as a piece of clay flew past his head. He then turned away, hanging his head.

The vizier pulled out the magic lamp and, balancing it carefully in the palm of his hand, raised it into the air in the direction of the Genie.

"My first wish, Genie! Show me the Keyhole!"

Genie sighed sadly, his shoulders drooping even more. He turned his head slightly and glared over his shoulder at Jafar. With a grunt, Genie raised one of his limp arms and gestured half-heartedly with his thumb toward one of the walls. Jafar immediately turned to look. Almost immediately, the rocks of the wall exploded forward and tumbled to the ground. The whole room shook as the boulders crashed to the floor, clouds of dirt raised to block the view. The rumbling continued violently as stone platforms raised out of the floor on the far sides of the cavern.

The dirt settled to the floor, revealing a stone archway with a small set of stone steps leading up to it. On either side of the arch were two large, stone pillars with flame designs carved into their surface. They seemed to support not only the archway, but the ceiling of the cavern itself. The arch was lined in red with an intricate Arabian design. The shape of a simple (albeit very large) keyhole was carved deeply into the stone. Within the large keyhole shape was another, smaller one. And in the very middle of the second one was the Keyhole.

As soon as Jafar recognized it, he and Iago released a wicked cackle. Jafar cast a sideways glance at Genie, a sly, evil grin crossing his lips.

"So your reputed omnipotence proves itself true. Surely the conquest of the world is to one of _your _power but a triviality. Would you care to become my ally in this manner?"

Genie folded his arms over his chest and turned his back on Jafar. "Quit yer jokin', o master of the lamp, sir," he grumbled angrily.

"Violating the statutes of the concern _are _grounds for dismissal, Jafar."

The calm, cool voice sent shudders up Jafar's spine. He exchanged a shocked glance with Iago before turning around. The vizier's eyes grew wide.

"Maleficent!"

Maleficent approached slowly, taking long, elegant strides across the cavern. Jafar's eyes were wide as he watched her. She came to a stop near Jasmine's unconscious body and gazed at the princess for a moment, considering her. Then her gaze turned back to the vizier.

"In truth, I wouldn't regret your dismissal," she told him coldly. "You are, after all, merely an expendable asset."

Jafar and Iago looked at one another once again. They both knew what she meant. Maleficent's cold gaze turned icy as she narrowed her eyes at them.

"Remember that."

* * *

Sora helped Aladdin up onto the dry stone platform, grabbing him by the back of his wet vest as the thief pulled himself out of the murky water. Aladdin collapsed on the rock and sighed heavily, exhausted. He shook his head, beads of water flying out in all directions. Sora peeled off his wet jacket and squeezed the excess water out of it. 

"That was _close_."

"You're tellin' me."

As Sora pulled his jacket back on, he gazed about their surroundings. They had ended up in a whole new set of caverns. The air here was moist and cold, as the caves were filled with water. Only a few stone platforms extended above the water's surface. Several strange looking statues holding glowing gems were scattered throughout the cavern, offering the only known sources of light. Connected to the platform that he and Aladdin were sitting on was a set of stairs. They seemed to lead back up toward where they came from. Sora stared up the stairway for a moment, dazed slightly. He thought he could hear something, but he wasn't sure where it was coming from.

Aladdin shook himself again as he rose to his feet, extending a helping hand toward Sora. Sora didn't move a muscle, his eyes fixated someplace else. After a moment, he drew in a slow, deep breath, his eyes widening. Aladdin's eyebrows came together in confusion.

"You okay, Sora?"

He blinked, snapping out of his daze, and looked up at Aladdin. Sora then looked at the young thief's extended hand and grabbed hold of it, pulling himself up.

"Yeah, sorry. I just..."

Before Sora could finish, the magic carpet drifted down toward them, Donald, Goofy, and Abu safe on its surface. Aladdin looked at Abu and the carpet, giving them a slight smile.

"Nice catch, carpet."

Everyone aboard the carpet looked guilty at the words, chuckling nervously. Aladdin shook his head slowly, still smiling.

"Oh well."

Goofy disembarked the carpet and turned to Aladdin. "Say... where are we?"

Aladdin shook himself again as his eyes wandered the cavern. "I... dunno."

They then examined their surroundings, Abu's eyes growing particularly wide in awe at the glowing gems. Fortunately, Donald noticed the glazed look in the monkey's eyes and grabbed onto Abu's tail. Goofy frowned.

"So, uh... where do we go now?"

"This way."

Everyone turned at the firmness of Sora's voice. Even Abu had snapped out of his treasure-induced trance to stare at Sora in surprise. Without even looking back, Sora made his way up the steps, leaving everyone behind. Turning dumbly to one another in shock, everybody followed him. Donald, Abu, and the carpet flew closer to Sora so that they were in line with him.

"Sora? How do you know...?"

"I _don't _know," Sora said slowly.

Donald blinked, stunned. He looked back at Goofy and Aladdin, who trailed closely behind and with equal confusion.

"I don't know how or why, but..."

Everyone turned back to Sora when he spoke again, watching him with wide eyes. He placed one hand over his pendant, close to his heart.

"Something's whispering for me to go this way... I've got this really strong feeling..."

They said nothing more. With a simple shrug of their shoulders, they each decided to trust Sora and follow him. Each one of them was stunned by Sora's sudden solemnity. It wasn't long before they reached the top of the stone steps. They followed Sora down the torch lit hallways of the Cave of Wonders until they finally arrived in front of a large set of stone doors that arched all the way to the ceiling. For a brief moment, everyone merely stared at it.

"Gawrsh! Lookit that!"

"Jasmine must be just behind these doors," Aladdin breathed.

Sora grabbed onto his crown pendant, his eyes wide. For some reason he felt the Keyblade's power emanating through his chest. He simultaneously realized that it was the power of the Keyblade that had told him where to go. With a small smile, Sora shut his eyes, putting his faith in this power. He then turned to look at his friends over his shoulder and cast them a lopsided grin.

"Come on!"

* * *

Maleficent shifted her cool gaze toward the entrance to the chamber. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the empty entrance, waiting. The corners of her dark lips turned down into a frown. 

"That _boy _again?" Her voice dripped with disdain.

A glimmer of hope sparkled in Genie's eyes. He turned to look at the entrance to the room hopefully. A little _too _hopefully. Jafar noticed Genie's reaction and immediately zapped him with his golden snake staff. Then he glanced toward the entry way out of the corner of his eye and sneered slightly. His parrot sneered as well, ruffling his red feathers in irritation.

"He's more per_sis_tent than I ex_pec_ted," he snorted.

The dark fairy shut her eyes and looked away, annoyed. With a heavy, disappointed sigh, she took a few steps toward the Keyhole, away from her subordinate. Jafar narrowed his eyes at Maleficent before glancing at the princess. He smiled wickedly at her unconscious figure as he returned his attention to Maleficent.

"Why not explain the situation to that boy Riku?" he suggested with a grin. "Doing so may actually prove _useful _to our..."

Jafar stopped mid-sentence when he heard a splash of water from somewhere behind him. His eyes grew wide in mild surprise as he turned to see who was there.

"WAAAAIT!"

Iago was the first to see who had arrived. His eyes went wide and he slapped his forehead with one wing. "_HOW _in the _HE_ - I mean..." Iago stopped himself immediately and composed himself to look just like an ordinary parrot. "BRAWK!"

Sora slid to a halt, staring up at the platform where Jafar and Maleficent were standing. The two villains stared malevolently at the group, Jafar's lip quivering in rage. Just behind them was none other than the Keyhole itself. Goofy and Donald's eyes grew wide and their jaws dropped open in shock.

"The Keyhole!"

Maleficent turned slightly, glaring toward the group of self-proclaimed heroes that had just arrived on the scene. Her upper lip curled slightly into a small sneer. Chills ran up and down Sora's spine, and his mouth went dry as he stared at her.

"Are you..." Sora swallowed the lump in his throat. "...Maleficent?"

Wordless, the dark fairy turned her back on them and vanished, fading away as though she had been nothing but a ghost. Sora blinked, left in a state of mild shock. Upon seeing Jasmine lying unconscious by the Keyhole, Aladdin's rage peaked. He clenched his teeth together, stepping forward as he pointed one finger at Jafar.

"Jafar, let Jasmine _GO_!"

An eerie smile crept onto the vizier's face, pleased with Aladdin's reaction. "Not a _chance_. You see, she's a princess - one of _seven _who somehow hold the key to opening the door."

Goofy blinked. "Open..."

"... the door?" Donald tilted his head to one side thoughtfully.

Jafar's dark smile slowly gave way to an evil, toothy grin. "But you _fools _won't live to see what lies beyond it." He immediately turned to the Genie, who had retreated woefully to a corner with his arms limp at his sides. "Genie! My second wish." Jafar turned his malicious glare back to his enemies. "Crush them!"

Everyone gasped in horror. Aladdin was the most upset, moving toward the Genie. "Genie," he pleaded, sounding desperate, confused, and crushed all at once. "No!"

The Genie glanced sadly over at his former master. He then looked back down at the floor with a disheartening sigh. "Sorry, Al. The one with the lamp calls the shots. I don't have a choice."

Aladdin shook his head slowly in disbelief. "Genie..."

Jafar snorted at Genie's hesitation. He pointed the cobra head of his staff in Aladdin's direction as he chose to start things off. A magical red beam shot out of the mouth of the snake staff, bee-lining toward Aladdin. Sora reacted to it first, shoving Aladdin out of its path just in time. The Arabian thief tumbled across the ground. Still slightly disoriented, Aladdin raised his head. His eyes grew wide.

"SORA!"

The Key bearer's body had started to glow a bright red-orange color. Sora was frozen in the exact same position as when he had been zapped by Jafar's snake staff. He stared at his frozen limbs in shock. Then just as movement returned to his paralyzed limbs, he was suddenly lifted up high into the air. It felt as though he had been grabbed by the neck. Sora could barely breathe through the weight he felt on his throat and he struggled vainly against it. He tried to shout out, but nothing escaped from his lips - not even his own breath.

"LET SORA GO!" Donald quacked angrily.

Donald pointed his staff at Jafar, shooting out a beam of ice. The vizier saw the attack coming and blocked it with the tip of his snake staff. The movement of his staff sent Sora flying across the room, released from Jafar's magic. The young boy smacked painfully into one of the rough stone walls. He bounced off of its surface slightly and then dropped down to the floor. Donald ran toward Sora, leaving Goofy behind to shake in his shoes.

"Sora! SORA!"

The vizier turned on the Genie, disgusted. "Did you not _hear _me, djinn? It pains me to look upon such wastes of flesh! _Finish them_!"

Horrified at what Jafar had done, Genie squeezed his eyes shut. "Sorry, guys..."

He then held his arms out and began to spin around in place as quickly as he could. Beams of lightning flew out of his extended fingers in every direction. The cavern was instantly thrown into complete chaos. Goofy stood frozen, his eyes wide as he held out his shield in front of him. Luckily, not a single Genie bolt was striking near him.

"Gawrsh."

"What's this, Genie?" Jafar laughed mockingly. "You seem to have missed!"

Aladdin gritted his teeth with hate. He looked back toward the entrance, where Abu and the magic carpet were hiding in wait. The small monkey's eyes were wide as he clutched the edge of the carpet tightly in his small hands.

"ABU! Give me the sword!"

The monkey's face went slightly pale at the request. He pointed at himself in shock and then shook his head vigorously, absolutely refusing. But however much Abu protested, the carpet obeyed. It flew in, with Abu still holding on and screeching in fear, making its way toward Aladdin. Unfortunately for them, Jafar caught Aladdin's companions in the act.

"Don't _toy _with me! Things are _unraveling _fast now, boy!"

Aladdin reached toward his friends desperately. "_NO_!"

With a smirk, Jafar zapped both Abu and the magic carpet. Abu suddenly turned into a tin monkey toy while the fibers of the magic carpet began to rapidly unwind. The sword flew forward, skidding to a stop a few feet away from Aladdin's outstretched arm. Jafar stopped to laugh with Iago, giving Aladdin just the opening that he needed. He rolled toward the scimitar and grabbed it swiftly, jumping up to his feet. Then, gripping the handle with both hands, Aladdin charged. Jafar stopped laughing for a moment to zap the street rat, shooting out a beam of red light to throw Aladdin back.

"Are you okay, Sora?" Donald asked, lowering his staff as the green lights of his Cure spell dimmed. "Can you stand?"

Sora pulled himself up painfully, one hand rubbing his neck. "Just... give me a second..."

"AAAH!"

They both looked up quickly when they saw Aladdin get tossed back. Sora winced, knowing just how pained Aladdin must be. He struggled to his feet as quickly as he could, trying to focus on pulling out the Keyblade. Sora tapped Donald on the shoulder and motioned toward Aladdin.

"Go... help him."

With a firm nod, Donald ran off to help Aladdin. Sora stayed back, leaning against the wall, waiting for the wave of relief that was bound to come and ease his aching body.

Goofy howled in fear as one Genie bolt struck near his feet. The captain of the guard ran, arms flailing in the air. Having no where else to go, he merely ran around the room in a wide circle. Jafar and Iago then released a nasty cackle, delighting in the terror that they were inflicting upon their enemies. Genie shouted out apologies over the roar of his own lightning and his master's laughter.

"All better?" Donald asked Aladdin as soon as the Cure spell was finished.

Aladdin rubbed a small bump on the back of his head as he sat up. "Yeah, thanks."

The worried glaze in Donald's eyes then vanished. The duck turned to look at the Genie, gripping the handle of his staff tightly in his hands. He aimed the point of his staff at the magical djinn, a determined, angry expression on his face.

"And now... GRAV-"

"WAIT!"

Aladdin grabbed onto Donald's staff and lowered it quickly. The duck gave Aladdin a stern, annoyed look. "Leggo!"

"No! We can't shoot Genie! He's our friend!"

Donald blinked, confused. "O-Okay..."

Before Donald could finish, one of Genie's lightning bolts struck the ground nearby. Donald released a loud, shocked quack.

"I'm really sorry about that!" Genie shouted out.

Suddenly, Donald was back to being angry. "Why I oughta... LEMME AT 'IM!"

Aladdin held Donald back firmly. "Calm down, Donald!"

At this display, Jafar and Iago threw their heads back and laughed. The vizier turned to his parrot with a wicked grin.

"I knew that our little 'band of heroes' wouldn't _dare _to lay a finger on a friend! What will you do _now_, street rat? Give up while you can!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, a fireball struck Jafar's side. The vizier staggered, his equilibrium thrown off by the blow. Iago squawked in alarm, hopping from one of Jafar's shoulders to the other. Shocked, Jafar spun around to face his attacker. Standing not thirty feet away was Sora, the Keyblade smoldering in his hands, an angry look on his face.

Jafar stared at the young Key bearer in surprise for a brief moment before plastering a dark grin on his face. He then began to laugh, sending the hideous sound bouncing off the cavern walls. Sora narrowed his eyes, angrier than ever, and fired again. This time Jafar deflected it, sending the fireball toward a stone wall where it sizzled out.

"Is that the best you've got, _little boy_?"

"Not on your life," Sora growled.

The vizier's grin broadened. "Then I invite you to try again."

Sora's grip on the Keyblade tightened as he glared at Jafar. He then turned to his friends, cupping one hand around his mouth. "ALADDIN!"

The young Arabian's head snapped up at the sound of his name. Sora pointed firmly toward the Keyhole and Jasmine, raising the Keyblade slightly. He could see Aladdin nod his head firmly and grab onto his scimitar. Sora grinned. He sure hoped that Aladdin got the message.

"Donald! Goofy!" Both of Sora's companions looked at him expectantly. "Keep him busy!"

Goofy did his best to salute Sora while still running around the Genie in circles. Donald clenched his staff in his hands as he turned his attention to Jafar, grumbling something under his breath. Jafar watched the party split ways, mildly amused by what looked to him like some sort of spontaneously put together plan. His grin only grew.

"Looks like this will be easier than I thought," he mused to Iago.

"This is gonna be _fun_," Iago said with a snicker.

Sora grabbed onto the edge of the platform that Jafar was standing on and hauled himself up. He smiled slightly to himself as he came up slowly from behind, the Keyblade shining in his grip.

"Think again, Jafar."

The vizier turned at the sound of Sora's voice, shocked. Before Jafar could even react, Sora swung the Keyblade at him with all of his might. Jafar was knocked to the side, pushed off of the platform. Iago escaped almost immediately, flying up toward the ceiling on the rooftop and landing on one of the statues. Sora jumped back, waiting to see what would happen next. Jafar used his snake staff to hover in the air. He cackled at Sora's expense.

"So _sorry_, boy! Better luck next time!"

Sora readjusted his grip on the Keyblade, a slight smile breaking the stern look in his eyes. "Wrong again."

He then threw the Keyblade as hard as he could, sending it spinning through the air, heading straight for Jafar. As soon as the Keyblade hit him, several lightning bolts struck him from behind, followed by the edge of something large and heavy. The vizier turned around in a rage to face his attackers; Donald and Goofy. Goofy chuckled slightly and pointed toward the Genie, who was still spinning in place with lightning bolts flying from his fingers. As soon as Jafar looked at the djinn, one of his lightning bolts struck him in the arm.

"SLAVE!" he shouted in a rage. "_What _do you think you're _doing_?"

"Sorry 'bout that, _master_," Genie deadpanned, still shooting lightning bolts.

Jafar clenched his teeth, throwing Sora across the room once again with the power of his snake staff. He then threw himself at Donald and Goofy, shooting beams of fire at them. While Jafar was busy there, Sora and Aladdin rushed toward their respective goals. They helped each other up onto the platform at the Keyhole. As soon as they were both on top of the stone platform, Aladdin dropped his scimitar and ran to Jasmine, kneeling at her side. He scooped her up into his arms, shaking her gently.

"Jasmine! Jasmine, wake up!"

Sora peered over Aladdin's shoulder, looking at Jasmine worriedly. "Is she gonna be okay?"

"I think so," Aladdin told him quietly. He then looked at Sora in surprise. "Hey! Sora, don't you have something to do right now?"

"Oh right!"

Slightly embarrassed, Sora straightened himself and pointed the Keyblade at the Keyhole. He took in a deep, calming breath, trying to focus. But before anything could happen, one of Genie's lightning bolts struck the floor between Sora and Aladdin. Sora fell back onto his butt with a loud yelp.

The sound of his shout shifted Goofy's attention away from distracting Jafar. He looked over at his friend and howled in surprise. "Sora!"

"_What_?"

Jafar spun around in the air to look back at the Keyhole. His eyes went wide when he saw Sora near the Keyhole and Aladdin with Jasmine in his arms. Sora stared back at Jafar, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Oops."

The vizier narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth together angrily. He zapped Donald and Goofy, paralyzing them with one shot before turning back to Aladdin and Sora.

"_HOW _MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO _KILL YOU, BOY_?"

Sora crawled as quickly as he could toward Aladdin and put one hand on his shoulder. "Aladdin! Take Jasmine and run!"

But it was too late. Jafar turned his snake staff on them and the eyes of the snake head flashed a brilliant red color. At once, both Sora and Aladdin rose up into the air, their bodies glowing red. The Genie had finally stopped spinning about and stared up at his friends in horror. Donald and Goofy could do nothing but watch. Aladdin and Sora struggled against Jafar's power, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. They could feel an invisible force squeezing their necks.

Iago grinned as he watched the scene from his high perch. "Squeeze 'em, Jafar," he chanted evilly. Genie slowly floated up so that he was just behind the parrot, his hands clasped hopefully underneath his chin and his eyes cast skyward. Iago didn't notice him.

"Squeeze 'em like a-" Before Iago could finish his sentence, Genie casually elbowed him, sending him flying beak-first into the wall with a loud "AWK!"

"Face it!" Jafar cackled. "You are both _powerless _against me! Without the Genie, street rat, you're _nothing_!"

Aladdin strained to cast a glance toward the Genie. "The Genie..."

Jafar then looked at Sora. "And _your _power is not your _own_! You thought you could defeat _me_? I have the power of the Heartless on my side, boy!"

Sora groaned, clutching the Keyblade tightly in his hand. Jafar was right. He had come this far because of the Keyblade. He owed everything he'd done to the power of the Keyblade. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear his own weakness. Aladdin gritted his teeth together, turning to look at Sora.

"S-Sora..." The Keyblade master opened his eyes slowly to look at Aladdin. The thief smiled at him. "The Genie... Jafar's power..."

"W-What? What're you... talking about?"

Aladdin's smile deepened mischievously. Sora was confused. What could he be _smiling_ about? Jafar was about to strangle them to death! He watched as Aladdin mustered up whatever strength he could and turned back to face Jafar.

"Th-The Genie… Genie has more power… than you'll _ever _have!"

Jafar narrowed his eyes at Aladdin. "What?"

Genie looked at Jafar and then back at Aladdin, twiddling his thumbs nervously. "Al, what are you doing? Why are you bringing me into this?"

Sora stared at Aladdin in shock for a moment. Then, ever so slowly, he realized what was going on. He smiled weakly and then turned to Jafar, struggling to speak up as Aladdin had.

"S-So what if I got this far because of the Keyblade? It chose to give its power to me!"

"But _you've _been usingthe _Genie_'s power to succeed!"

The vizier's right eye twitched at the comments. Aladdin and Sora were grinning now, continuing to mock Jafar as much as they could. With every blow that Jafar took to his ego, Aladdin and Sora were slowly lowered to the ground and the invisible chokehold loosened.

"The Genie and that Maleficent lady have more power than you could ever _hope _to have!"

"Compared to them, you're just second best!"

"Without the Genie... Without the Heartless... You've got _nothing_!"

Jafar's eyes glazed over as he took in everything they said. Aladdin and Sora grinned at each other, pleased with themselves. On the other hand, Genie, Donald, and Goofy looked horrified.

"You're right," he muttered, shocked. "Their powers exceed my own!" Jafar then glanced at the Genie out of the corner of his eyes. "But not for long..."

Shudders ran up and down the Genie's spine when Jafar turned his malicious glare on him. He tried to smile through his terror, moving cautiously toward Jafar.

"Those boys are _crazy_!" Genie told him with a nervous laugh. "They don't know what they're saying! Between you and me, I think you might've cut off the circulation to their brains..."

"GENIE!" Jafar shouted, raising himself into the air. "My final wish! I want you to make me... _an all-powerful genie_!"

The Genie sighed sadly. "Your wish is my command," he said reluctantly. He then glanced at Sora and Aladdin, somewhat disappointed. "Way to _go_, guys."

Sora and Aladdin looked at one another nervously, still struggling against the invisible force that held them in place. It had finally stopped strangling them, but there was no telling how long that was going to last. Unable to stand it at all, Genie put one hand over his eyes, turned away, and pointed his other finger at Jafar. A blast of magical energy shot out of Genie's index finger and struck Jafar's body.

Strings of what looked to be electric energy engulfed Jafar's body. At first it seemed as though Jafar was in pain, curling up with his hands on his stomach. Then his body began to grow. His skin turned red and his clothes were torn through as large muscles bulged up all over his torso. His nails sharpened into claws and his eyes began to glow yellow. His entire appearance was similar to stereotypical images of a devil. Jafar slowly straightened, his deep laughter making the entire cavern rumble. Huge cracks suddenly split the ground into pieces and the floor fell through. Boulders and water flew up into the air and everyone dropped into a large room beneath the floor.

"YES!" Jafar laughed. "THE _POWER_! THE _ABSOLUTE POWER_!"

Donald and Goofy were released from their paralysis just as Sora and Aladdin were dropped from Jafar's magical grip. Aladdin grabbed the tin Abu toy and the bundle of fiber and cloth that was once the carpet. As soon as he could, Donald shielded everyone with an Aero spell before they hit the ground.

"What did you _do_?" Donald shouted at Aladdin and Sora once they had landed painfully.

"Trust us!" they shouted back.

The ground they stood on began to break, revealing a river of molten lava beneath their feet. Lava began to pour out of small openings in the surrounding walls, filling the room. The stone platforms cracked from the intense heat of the magma and floated on its surface, constantly moving as the pieces bumped into one another. Everyone grouped together, staying away from the edges. They hastily climbed up to the taller stone platforms, trying to get away from the lava. When they got as high as they could, they returned their attention to Jafar. He loomed over them all, thrilled with his newfound powers, laughing hideously.

"The universe is _mine _to command!" he boomed. "To _CONTROL_! _FEAR _ME, MALEFICENT!"

Just then, Iago swooped down toward the ground and scooped up a small lamp, similar in design to the Genie's, with his talons. Both Sora and Aladdin turned to look at him, their eyes wide. Aladdin then pushed Sora gently toward Iago.

"Go! Get Jafar's lamp!"

With a solid nod, Sora gripped the Keyblade and charged at the small red parrot.

The ground began to break apart at the edges, with large chunks of rock and stone starting to drift in the flow of lava like logs in a river. Jafar flexed his large muscles with another loud laugh. He then dropped his gaze so that he was looking at Aladdin and the others. Goofy cowered behind his shield, his whole body trembling. Jafar delighted in the terror that he inspired amongst his enemies. He grinned at how insignificant they seemed before him.

"However..." His grin darkened. "Before I move onto anything _elaborate_, I believe a little _house-cleaning _is in order." With a deep, wicked chuckle, Jafar dug his arms deep into the lava.

Sora adjusted his grasp on the Keyblade and swung.

The evil genie pulled out a giant, smoldering ball of fire and lava. He cackled, raising the ball high over his head, ready to crush his enemies beneath it.

"VANISH, MAGGOTS!"

"Not so fast, Jafar!" Sora called out, stepping bravely forward. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Jafar turned his attention to Sora, raising one eyebrow questioningly. Everyone else turned their gazes on the Keyblade master as well. Aladdin looked behind Sora and noticed the red parrot sprawled out on the ground near Sora's feet, a rather large bump on his head. He looked back at Sora, mildly surprised. Sora just smiled back and raised the black lamp that he held in his hand higher, so that everyone could see it properly.

"Back to your lamp!"

Aladdin turned to look up at Jafar with a grin. "You wanted to be a Genie, you _got _it! And everything that goes with it!"

The evil genie's eyes grew wide. "What? How...?"

"Somebody told me that genies are bound to serve the master of their lamp," Sora said matter-of-factly. "Let's get on with it. My commands are absolute, y'know?"

Golden shackles suddenly appeared on Jafar's wrists with a loud clamping noise. Jafar stared at them in shock. He then looked down to where his legs would have been and discovered a smoky tail that led to the small mouth of the lamp in Sora's hands.

"NO! This _can't be_!"

His smoky tail turned into a small red and orange twister as Jafar was sucked into the confines of his new lamp. Sora held onto the lamp firmly with both hands so as not to lose it. The twister became stronger and stronger as Jafar tried to resist, reaching up to try and grab onto something. Iago, having regained consciousness, looked about him nervously and immediately decided to escape.

"I'm gettin' outta here!" he shouted as he began to fly away.

Right at that moment Jafar's large hand clamped onto one of Iago's legs. The parrot cawed in shock and terror as he was dragged down into the lamp with Jafar. Iago flapped his wings wildly as he strained to escape the genie's firm grip. He reached down and swatted at Jafar's hand in a vain attempt to make him let go.

"Come on, _you're _the genie!"

"GYAAAAH!"

Then suddenly, all went silent as the pair was finally sucked into the lamp. A single red feather popped out of the mouth of the lamp and fluttered to the floor.

"Phenomenal cosmic powers," Aladdin grinned, "_itty bitty _living space."

"How do ya like your new house, boys?" Sora teased.

They grinned at one another and gave each other an excited high-five. Genie suddenly popped up at Aladdin's side and put Aladdin into a firm headlock. He grinned as he gave Aladdin a friendly noogie. Aladdin just laughed.

"Al, you little genius, you!"

Suddenly, with a sparkle of white lights, the magic carpet re-raveled and Abu returned to normal. They both gazed at their bodies carefully, making sure that they were really back to normal. Then they sprung themselves on Aladdin, Abu chattering excitedly and crawling all over his torso. The magic carpet spun around them both, wrapping around their bodies in what could only be interpreted as a hug. Sora's smile grew as he watched them. He gripped the black lamp firmly in his hand, listening to the voices that he could faintly hear inside.

"Get your _blasted beak _out of my face!"

"Oh, shut up, you _moron_!"

Sora chuckled softly, proud of himself and of his victory. Just then, an old, crumpled up piece of paper fluttered out of the sky and landed on top of Sora's head. He blinked in surprise and confusion as he peeled the paper off of his face and stared at it.

"What's this...?"

He turned it over and examined both sides of it, confused. There was writing all over the page. The handwriting was slightly messy, but still legible. Sora read some of the writing to himself, trying to figure out what the paper was. Then it dawned on him. His eyes grew wide.

"The Ansem report!" he gasped.

"SORAAAA!"

Donald and Goofy tackled Sora to the ground, embracing him tightly. Genie joined them at once, gathering everyone in his arms for a big group hug. He lifted them all into the air, holding on so tightly that it seemed they wouldn't be able to breathe. Finally, Genie released everyone and patted each of them playfully on the head.

"Excellent work, kiddies!" he said to each of them.

As Sora put the page of the Ansem report away, Donald grinned teasingly in Sora's direction. "Wouldn't have guessed by lookin' at you that there's a brain in there somewhere..."

Sora glared at the court wizard. "Care to repeat that?"

Donald just laughed as he patted Sora firmly on the back. Goofy chuckled, his hands still resting on Sora's shoulders. Sora looked at each of his friends in turn and smiled finally. Genie messed up Sora's hair with a round of playful laughter before plucking Jafar's lamp out of Sora's hands. He held it carefully between his index finger and his thumb and raised it close to his ear. He shook the lamp vigorously, listening to the ongoing argument inside. After a moment, the Genie clasped his big hand around the black lamp and began to wind up his arm like a cartoon pitcher.

"This friggin' lamp should be...!" Genie froze mid wind-up. He suddenly pulled out a small shovel and began to dig a hole in the ground. "...buried!"

Donald, Goofy, and Sora blinked. "Uhh... 'Buried'?"

Aladdin and Abu hopped aboard the carpet and extended a hand toward Sora and the others. "C'mon, guys. We're not done just yet."

* * *

The raven-haired princess walked toward the end of the stone platform and knelt down near the edge. She peered cautiously over the edge and into the large, gaping hole in the ground, straining to catch sight of what was going on. She squinted her brown eyes, adjusting her position, leaning farther and farther over the edge. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see anything. She wasn't even sure if there was anything to see. She thought that maybe she should try calling out someone's name to see if she would get a reply. 

But before she could try, she heard footsteps, falling evenly from somewhere behind her. The princess froze, her almond-shaped eyes wide. The foot falls grew louder and louder, and eventually stopped. Ever so slowly, she turned around to see who was there.

She gasped.

* * *

**Author's Note:** You've noticed that I decided not to fight the tiger head. If that was disappointing at all, I'm sorry, but it meant starting the chapter with a battle, which isn't exactly something I want to do, and I wasn't sure how to even begin to explain the tiger guardian being controlled by the Heartless and having dark splotches over its eyes that they were supposed to attack. So, I opted for the movie route. :P  
Rearranged the rooms in the cave so that it was a little more coherent with the movie. For instance, the treasure room came first in the film, even though it was last in the game. I still think Jafar is a sick pervert with superiority issues. I stand by this belief. erm... lots of dialogue from the manga, scanlated edition, so credit to the people over at aku-tenshi. :)  
That was quite a battle, huh? ... aw man, I wish I could be sure that you're seeing what I'm seeing... it's so cool looking in my head!


	22. A Whole New World

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creator and scanlators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **Wow, it's been, what, over two months since the last update? This has been in the works for a really really really long time, but I was sublimely stuck on this story and refused to post up a new chapter until I got unstuck. I'm starting to wriggle my way out of the writing rut I found myself in, and that's progress enough to deserve a new chapter. :) Sorry for the long wait! With any luck (and if my internet connection decides to cooperate with me), updates will start coming in a more timely fashion.

On another note, I would appreciate getting some reviews over here. So please, if you've actually managed to read this far into the story, could you do me a favor and let me know with a review? Reviews are another source of inspiration for me, so I'd really love to hear from you guys. As for the question of whether or not I'll also do Kingdom Hearts II... I'm not sure yet. Considering I'm not even done with the first game, that will have to wait. :P

That said, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_**Chapter 21**_  
**A Whole New World**

_Cave of Wonders_

"So now that we beat the bad guy, all that's left for us to do is seal the Keyhole, right?"

Sora and Donald looked back at Goofy and nodded. They then faced forward as the magic carpet brought everyone back up toward the Keyhole.

"_And _rescue the princess," Donald added with a nod. "Then we'll all live happily ever after."

"Just like in the fairy tales!" Goofy laughed.

Both Donald and Goofy laughed. Sora just smiled wistfully. _'Like a fairy tale...?'_

Genie put one hand over his eyes like a visor and scanned the area. He drew his lips into a straight line, a stunned expression on his face.

"Speaking of the princess... Where'd she go?"

Aladdin glanced at the Genie, confused. "What do you mean? Jasmine should be right..."

The carpet slowed down and came to a stop near the Keyhole. Everyone leaned over the edge of the carpet and looked around. Genie was right; there was no sign of Jasmine anywhere. Aladdin immediately jumped off of the carpet, his eyes sweeping over the area frantically. He spun in place, making sure that they were on the right platform. He ran to both sides of it, looking over the edges in a panic.

"Jasmine? _Jasmine_!"

Sora got off of the carpet as well and was about to help Aladdin search when a big blue hand grabbed hold of his shoulder. The Genie wagged one finger at Sora and tut-tutted at him.

"Not so fast, Keyhole-boy." He turned Sora to face the Keyhole. "_You've _got a job to do."

Donald and Goofy came up from behind, giving Sora a hearty pat on the back. Donald then looked at the Keyhole, a determined gleam in his eyes.

"Seal it up, Sora."

He stared at the Keyhole for a moment before pulling out the Keyblade. Sora held onto the weapon with both hands for a moment as he cleared his head. Then, taking in a deep breath through his nostrils, Sora adjusted his hold on the Keyblade and held it out with one hand, its tip pointed at the small Keyhole in front of him.

As the tip of the Keyblade began to sparkle, the Keyhole outlined itself in an orange glow. Beams of bright blue light and yellow stars began to swirl into the tip of the Keyblade, gathering power. Once the power finished accumulating, a thin beam of bright blue light shot out of the end of the Keyblade. It punctured through an invisible barrier, creating a small ripple in its surface. The Keyhole suddenly began to glow a bright golden color. Flashes of light appeared all around, getting pulled into the Keyhole by a powerful unseen force.

When the lights finally vanished, a loud clicking noise came from deep within the Keyhole. What looked like a rain of millions of golden coins began to build up like a curtain. The shimmering of gold built up from the bottom to the top, and as soon as the large keyhole was filled with gold, it shone brilliantly for one last moment. As the bright lights vanished, the Keyhole disappeared along with it.

"That should do it," Sora said with a smile.

As soon as the words left his lips, the entire cavern began to rumble. Rocks and pebbles rained on their heads from above. Their eyes wide, everyone turned to look up at the crumbling ceiling. One small chunk of stone struck Donald on the top of his head. Goofy pulled out his shield and held it protectively over his own head.

"We'd better get outta here!" he wailed.

Genie scooped up Goofy and Donald and dropped them onto the magic carpet. "I think we've overstayed our welcome, don't you? Everyone on the carpet!"

Sora spun around on his heel and jumped onto the carpet. They were just about ready to leave when they realized that they were missing somebody. Everyone scanned the area, searching for Aladdin. Abu spotted him first and immediately jumped on Donald, shaking his arm vigorously as he pointed out his best friend's location. Donald looked at Abu in confusion at first, but quickly realized what the small monkey was saying.

"There he is!" Donald shouted on Abu's behalf. "Over there!"

The duck pointed at one of the other platforms, where Aladdin was still busy searching for Princess Jasmine. He searched about him, spinning in place with a desperate, frustrated look on his face. Aladdin cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled as loud as he could.

"JASMINE!"

The carpet flew over to Aladdin. Sora stretched one hand toward him. "Aladdin! Get on!"

The young man spun around to face everyone, his face panic-stricken. He stared at Sora with wide eyes. "But, Jasmine's still...!"

The miserable expression on Aladdin's face was altogether too familiar. Sora knew exactly what it was like to suddenly feel powerless when it counted most. To lose somebody precious and irreplaceable. The very memory of it was painful. Sora mentally shoved it out of his head, forcing himself to focus on getting Aladdin out of the collapsing Cave of Wonders.

"Look!" he told Aladdin forcefully. "Jasmine's been taken to 'another world', okay?"

Aladdin's eyes grew wider still. "Huh?"

Donald's head snapped around to look at Sora, shocked and upset. Sora glanced at Donald out of the corner of his eye, knowing full well that he had said too much. He ignored the look his friend gave him and grabbed onto Aladdin's arm and helped him onto the carpet.

"There's no time to explain! Let's get going!"

Genie suddenly pulled out a clipboard and pencil. "The Keyblade gang? Check. Al and Abu? Check, check. Magic carpet?"

Both Donald and Sora turned on the Genie, frustrated. "GENIE!"

The clipboard instantly vanished and the Genie put his hands firmly on the back end of the magic carpet. His smoky tail once again turned into a rocket engine and fired up.

"Right! All systems go! BLAST OFF!"

The Genie's magical engine sent them forward at top speed, leaving a trail of sparkling blue dust behind them. Everyone gripped onto the carpet, fearing for their lives as they blasted through the Cave of Wonders. The ceiling continued to fall apart, huge chunks of stone raining down on every side. The floor of the cave began to break apart, revealing rivers of hot molten lava. The lava slowly rose and churned, eating away at the walls. Stone pillars erupted into flame, turning into rushing fountains of hot magma.

Everyone kept their heads low as they raced through the cave, shifting their bodies from side to side in unison to keep up their speed. Shards of rock flew dangerously toward their heads, and everyone leaned one way or another in order to help the carpet dodge. They barrel-rolled to the sides and dove forward so often and abruptly that it was slowly becoming more difficult to hang on. Sora's knuckles were turning white from clutching the carpet tightly in his hands.

Suddenly, Goofy lost his grip as the carpet took another dive. He slipped off the carpet and started to fall toward the rivers of lava. His eyes went as wide as saucers in his terror.

"WAAAHYOHOHOHOOOIIII!"

Both Sora and Donald's heads snapped around. "GOOFY!" they screamed, terrified for their friend's life.

Goofy continued to holler, even after he found himself in the palm a large blue hand that extended outward to catch him. When the captain of the guard realized what happened, he looked up at his savior with a grateful, relieved smile on his face.

"Thanks, Genie! I thought I was a goner!"

The Genie grinned as he adjusted his hold on Goofy and pulled him back to the carpet. "I've gotten kinda fond of you kids. Not that I wanna pick out curtains or anything."

As Goofy was set back on the carpet, Donald breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't ever do that again, ya big palooka!"

"You had us scared to death!" Sora added.

The captain of the guard looked at his friends in amazement, touched to the heart by their concern for his well-being. There was little time for sentiment, however. As Abu and Aladdin quickly pointed out, they weren't safe just yet.

The tiger guardian tossed its head from side to side, roaring in what looked like immense pain and agony. It threw its mouth open wide, its roars echoing over the endless desert and into the starlit night sky. Its glowing yellow eyes began to flicker, as though its magical power was running out.

Aladdin leaned forward slightly and pointed toward the exit. "There it is!"

Eager to see the exit, everybody leaned forward on the carpet, straining to see. Smiles crossed all of their faces as they approached it quickly. Unfortunately for them, the exit seemed to be constantly changing in size and shape; one minute it was open and wide, the next it was narrow, as though about to shut tight. Everyone tightened their grip on the carpet, ready for a close call. The Genie clenched his teeth, putting even more effort into propelling them forward.

"Hang on, everyone!"

They blasted forward, faster than ever, barely making it through. The tiger head clamped its mouth shut just as the carpet cleared the exit. Everyone let out a huge, relieved sigh as the carpet slowed down, taking off toward Agrabah over the desert landscape. Sora turned around slightly, trying to catch one final glimpse of the Cave of Wonders. All he saw was a flickering of lights that seemed to come from far below the sand dunes and a large cloud of dust that slowly settled back in place. It looked as though the Cave of Wonders had never existed.

Somehow, Sora preferred it that way.

* * *

Aladdin sat down on one of the uneven stone steps in his apartment home. He cradled his head in his hands as he tried to make some sense of what was going on. 

"So, Jasmine's no longer in Agrabah..."

The Keyblade master nodded firmly. Donald only glared at him with his arms folded stubbornly over his chest. Sora glanced at Donald and sighed. He knew full well that he had broken Donald's rule.

"I'm _sorry_," he told the duck softly, "but I had to break that non-interference thing to get him to snap out of it."

Donald snorted in response. Aladdin raised his head and watched Sora and Donald argue quietly for a moment. Abu crawled onto Aladdin's shoulder and patted his best friend sympathetically on the back of his head. Then finally, Aladdin rose to his full height, his hands clenched into tight fists at his side, and faced Sora and Donald.

"Sora, let's go find her."

Sora turned to look back at Aladdin. He could almost feel a smile creeping onto his face. Sora recognized the tone in Aladdin's voice, and he knew exactly what Aladdin was thinking. Aladdin was sure to be extremely helpful, and with such a strong desire to rescue Jasmine, there was no telling what he would be able to do. Sora was just about to accept Aladdin's offer to help when Donald elbowed him in his side, reminding him about the rules. With a disappointed, remorseful sigh, Sora hung his head.

"Sorry," he told Aladdin quietly. "I can't take you with me."

Aladdin was taken aback. "Wh-Why not?"

Goofy twiddled his thumbs, his eyes lowered to the ground. "I sure wish we could..."

"But we can't," Donald finished. He gave Aladdin a sympathetic look. "If we took folks from one world to another, we would be..."

"Muh... Mudd--" Goofy strained to get the word out.

"Meddling!" Donald shouted, throwing his hands up into the air in exasperation. He immediately marched over to Goofy and bopped him over the head with his staff.

Aladdin sat back down, letting out a heavy sigh. Abu sighed sadly as well, sliding off of Aladdin's shoulder and plopping down onto one of the worn out pillows. Sora raised his eyes slightly and watched Aladdin for a moment. He couldn't help but empathize with him. Feeling as though you had failed to protect the one thing that mattered to you most in the whole world, and then finding out that there was nothing you could do to relieve that pain... Sora had a strong feeling that it was just as painful, if not worse, than death itself. He gritted his teeth together.

_'Well, if we can't take Aladdin, then...'_

Sora looked up at Aladdin, a determined glimmer in his eyes. "Aladdin, we'll find Jasmine."

The young thief looked surprised. He blinked slowly, unsure as to whether or not he should trust Sora completely. Sora just smiled back, clenching one hand into a tight fist. His smile deepened as he gave Aladdin a firm nod.

"I promise."

He wasn't sure how much better that promise made Aladdin feel, but it was the very least that Sora could do for him. A faint, grateful smile played on Aladdin's lips. Upset with the sudden tragic turn of events, Genie rushed to Aladdin's side and gave him a hearty thump on the back.

"Uh, earth to Al? _Hello_? You still have one wish left!" Aladdin's eyes snapped open, his breath caught in his throat. The Genie grinned, placing his lamp into Aladdin's hands. "Look! Just say the word. Ask me to find Jasmine for you!"

Aladdin slowly turned his sad gaze onto the Genie. "But Genie..."

The Genie just grinned and nodded his head with encouragement. Aladdin looked down at Abu as though he was trying to figure out what to do. Abu kept switching his amazed stare from Aladdin to Genie, his monkey eyes wide in his head, and shrugged his shoulders. With a disheartened sigh, Aladdin looked down at the lamp and just stared at it for a long, silent moment. Then, pressing his lips into a tight line, he made up his mind.

"Alright. I'll use my last wish."

The grin on Genie's face grew as he prepared to cast a spell. He rolled up a pair of imaginary sleeves and cracked his knuckles.

"Genie... I wish for your freedom."

The djinn froze. His eyes grew wide as he stared at Aladdin in surprise. "Al!"

A smile appeared on Aladdin's face as he lifted the lamp into the air with both hands. "Genie, you're free!"

The lamp slowly levitated out of Aladdin's hands, emitting an orange glow. Blue smoke spilled out from its mouth and encompassed Genie's tail, purple and pink sparks flying about his body. The small purple tornado that had formed started to glow brightly and the Genie's entire body sparkled with tiny white stars. Genie squeezed his eyes shut as his arms were stretched out to the sides. Then suddenly, there was a large, magical explosion. Everyone shielded their eyes from it, and when they looked back, the Genie was standing on his own two legs. The golden cuffs on his wrists unclasped and released him before vanishing in a twinkling of blue-white lights.

As the Genie's feet touched the floor, the lamp shook violently, its orange glow flickering for one last moment. Then, its magic seemingly depleted, the lamp dropped and clattered on the dusty floor. The Genie stared at the lamp for a long, silent moment. He then slowly reached for it and picked it up carefully in one hand. He looked at Aladdin, still shocked.

"Why'd you...?"

Aladdin smiled. "Because. I promised you... remember?"

Tears pricked the corners of the Genie's eyes. "Al..."

"A deal's a deal, Genie," Aladdin went on. "Now, you can go anywhere you want. You're your own master!" He then lowered his gaze and glanced over at Sora. "But if you can... It'd be _great _if you could go along with them and... help Sora find Jasmine."

The Genie looked thoughtful for a moment, putting one hand under his chin. He then folded his arms over his chest and spun around so that no one could see his face.

"Sorry, Al. But I'm _done _taking orders from others."

Everyone stared at the Genie for a long, silent moment, stunned. Sora, Donald and Goofy exchanged shocked looks. Goofy even let out a small, sad whimper. Abu growled angrily, waving one fist threateningly in the Genie's direction.

"But... a _favor_," the Genie continued in a sly voice. "Now that's _entirely _different. I suppose I could give _that _a try."

He looked back at Aladdin over his shoulder with a wide grin.

A collective sigh of relief came from everyone else in the room. Sora couldn't help but smile. The Genie slipped an arm around Aladdin's shoulders, still grinning.

"After all, we're pals, right, Al?"

Aladdin slowly turned his gaze back to the Genie, a pleading look on his face.

"Genie..."

The Genie's grin only grew. "Just leave it to me!" he said with a cheerful wink.

Aladdin just looked at the Genie for a moment, trying to think of something more to say. Then, giving in to the Genie's confidence, Aladdin laughed lightly as he ran one hand through his hair. His smile deepening, the Genie pulled Aladdin into a tight embrace.

"You set me free, Al. I'll never forget that."

Still at a loss for words, Aladdin just hugged the Genie back.

"Thanks."

* * *

Several figures were gathered in the dark room around the circular stone table. Faint green and blue lights illuminated their faces. A pair of dead eyes that seemed to have a faint yellow glow lingered on the surface of the table, narrowing in annoyance as the last hologram disappeared. The flaming blue hair on the god's head turned slightly orange for a moment in his anger. 

"That smarmy vizier could've had 'em," he sighed, frustrated. "If someone had stuck around to give him a hand."

The god of the underworld shifted his gaze so that he was looking accusingly at one of the other people in the room; a tall young boy with spiky, platinum-colored hair. The boy rolled his green eyes to the side to look at him, annoyed.

"Hey, I _did _my part," he told Hades gruffly. "I brought the princess, didn't I?"

"Jafar was beyond help," said the dark fairy evenly as she stood with her back to the table. She shut her eyes and raised her chin slightly, taking a deep breath. "_Consumed _by his own hatred. One should beware of letting it burn too fiercely."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lighten up, huh?" Hades said quickly, running a hand over his fiery blue hair. "I'm as cool as they come, okay?" The god then turned to the boy with a wry smile. "By the way, kid, have we got something special for _you_."

He glanced first at Hades before turning to the dark mistress in confusion. "Huh?"

The tall lady looked back over her shoulder, the dim light from the table touching on the refined features of her face. A faintly amused glimmer could be seen in her dead eyes.

"We had a deal, yes?" Maleficent asked him. She then glanced at the stone table and waved one hand toward it. "_You _help _us_, and _we _grant you your wish..."

At the wave of Maleficent's hand, a new three-dimensional holographic image appeared over the surface of the table. It flickered for a few moments before finally settling in on the image of a young girl with short, crimson colored hair. She was lying on her back, face up with her eyes shut. The boy's eyes lit up in excitement when he saw the image.

"Kairi!" Riku breathed, his eyes wide.

"Go to her," Maleficent instructed. "Your vessel is waiting."

Riku looked up at Maleficent, slightly confused. Before he could utter a single word, he heard footsteps echoing down the dark, empty hallway of stone. He turned around to face the newcomer. At first it was difficult to see him, but the dim green light slowly fell upon the newcomer's features.

He was a tall man with wavy black hair that fell just past his shoulders. He wore a long, fancy-looking red coat with golden trimmings, with the white ruffles of his shirt sticking out at the chest and cuffs. His brown pants cut off just below the knees and tight white stockings could be seen underneath. On his feet were a pair of expensive-looking black shoes with gold buckles. Atop his head was a large, maroon-colored captain hat with a large white feather inserted into it, which he tipped to the side with his right hand as he approached. His left hand was apparently missing, replaced by a large, iron hook. The man grinned, his thin, pointed moustache making the gesture seem all the more wicked.

"Just remember," he sneered with a wink of one of his bloodshot eyes. "This is no _pleasure cruise_. It _won't _be a pleasant voyage."

Riku merely snorted in the newcomer's direction, dismissing him for a second-rate pirate. He glanced back at the hologram of Kairi before turning to Maleficent. The tall, elegant woman was looking intently into the green orb on the tip of her staff, her back still turned on him. Riku narrowed his eyes at her with suspicion.

"Why are you doing all this for me?" he asked firmly. "What's the catch?"

Maleficent turned around, a mildly surprised look on her face. "Catch? 'What's the catch'?" She sounded somewhat shocked as she echoed his words. Then a smile slowly crossed her face as she moved toward Riku, putting one hand gently to his cheek. "_Silly _boy. You're like a _son _to me. I only want you to be happy."

He smacked her hand away from his face angrily, jumping back. "I seriously doubt that," he growled.

The dark fairy straightened, the smile wiped from her face. She looked at Riku calmly from underneath her eyelids. "Believe what you wish," she told him as she turned away. "But lest we forget, I kept _my _end of the bargain."

Riku gritted his teeth, his hands in tight fists at his side. He narrowed his eyes at Maleficent then looked one last time at the hologram of Kairi. He stared at it for a moment, then finally turned away and walked to where the hooked pirate awaited him down the hall. Maleficent watched him as he left, gently stroking the green orb on her staff.

* * *

"Here. Take this with you." 

The Genie picked up his old lamp and zapped it, shrinking it down to size and attaching a small chain to it. He then handed it to Sora with a playful wink. Sora smiled as he took the gift into his hands.

"Um, thanks, but..." He gave Genie a quizzical look. "Aren't you coming _with _us?"

Genie walked over to Aladdin's window and thrust back the curtain. He breathed in the fresh air, a wide grin on his face, and then glanced back at Sora.

"I'll be around, enjoying my freedom," he told him. The Genie then floated out the window, saluting everyone as he made his exit. "I'll be with you through the lamp. I'm not bound to it anymore, but whenever you need me, just gimme a ring. You know how it works."

Sora looked down at the small lamp keychain in his hand, then back at the Genie. He grinned before waving goodbye. "Okay, Genie! Enjoy your freedom!"

The Genie's grin broadened as he took off into the sky. "Believe me, I will! Yo, Al! I'm history! No, I'm _mythology_! Oh, I don't care _what _I am. I'm _free_!"

Aladdin just smiled as he watched the Genie vanish out of sight. He ran a hand through his dark hair and laughed.

"I'm gonna miss that big blue lug." Aladdin turned back to Sora and the others as he sat back down. "So, I guess you guys are taking off too, huh?"

Sora tucked the lamp keychain away and dusted himself off. "Guess so," he said. "Guys?"

Donald and Goofy nodded in agreement and turned to leave the apartment. Donald marched down the steps as Goofy grinned back at everyone, waving one gloved hand in the air. Then, not watching where he was going, the captain of the guard hit his head on one of the fallen beams with a loud, stunned "Ahyuk." Donald had a good laugh at his friend's expense as he continued to walk away. The smile on Sora's face grew as he watched them exit. As he turned to follow after them, Aladdin reached over and grabbed onto Sora's arm.

"Sora..."

He turned back to look at Aladdin, stunned. The thief looked at Sora sadly, his eyes pleading and desperate. Sora's smile faded slightly at the familiar expression.

"Please find Jasmine for me," Aladdin said softly.

The Key bearer blinked once or twice before grinning. "Don't worry, okay? We'll bring Jasmine back. Just wait and see."

Aladdin did his best to smile as he released Sora from his grip. Sora's grin grew as he turned away to follow his friends, waving goodbye.

"I'll see you around, Aladdin!"

"Hey," Aladdin called after him, stopping Sora in his tracks.

"Yeah?"

The thief smiled. "Call me 'Al'."

* * *

Jiminy licked his thumb as he turned to the next page of his journal and wrote down what Goofy had told him about Agrabah. The cricket sighed heavily, dubious about the reliability of the captain of the guard's memory. He would have preferred to ask Sora or Donald about the events in Agrabah, but... 

The Keyblade master sat down in the driver's seat and grabbed hold of the controls. Sora had finally convinced Donald to let him drive the Gummi ship again. He had only been allowed under the condition that Donald would teach him. The duck stood by the seat and stared dutifully out the windshield, tapping one foot on the floor.

"The more we travel, the more stuff we gotta find," Donald grumbled, folding his arms over his chest. "We should just post a sign on the Gummi ship advertising ourselves as personal get-backers. 'Items recovered or your money back.'"

Sora sighed. "Aw, _stop it _already..."

"_What_?" Donald quacked. "We're lookin' for stuff anyways! The way things are going, it's like we're straying a little further from our objective every step of the - WAK! Look out for the asteroid!"

Jiminy glanced over at the driver's seat as the entire Gummi ship shook violently. "How 're lessons going, Sora?" the small conscience called.

The Keyblade master looked over his shoulder at Jiminy with a grin. "Great!"

"EYES FORWARD, SORA!" Donald quacked, his eyes wide.

"Whoa! Sorry 'bout that!"

"You keep this up and I'm _really _not gonna let you drive again! I won't even let you sit up here anymore!"

"Hey, I said I'm sorry! I swear I won't get distracted this time."

"You _better _not!"

With a slight chuckle, Jiminy finished off his entry for Agrabah and shut his notebook. He patted the front cover gently before putting it away. He then hopped over toward the dashboard to join Sora and Donald and watch the fourteen-year old attempt to drive the Gummi ship. All the while, Goofy and Dale had been keeping themselves busy by fiddling with the small lamp keychain and the Keyblade, trying to figure out how to attach one to the other.

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of this," Sora said with a grin.

"Well, _that's _a relief," Jiminy sighed. "For a second there, I thought we were doomed!"

"Jiminy, not you, too!"

Donald laughed. "You're just not as good a driver as _I _am, Sora."

"Hmph. Just watch me. I'll show you that I can be an even _better _driver than you!"

The duck rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. "_That'll _be the day."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the cockpit, Goofy and Dale clapped their hands excitedly as their combined efforts to attach the lamp to the Keyblade finally succeeded. They then watched in amazement as the Keyblade transformed. The entire length of the Keyblade changed from bone and ivory into solid gold, from its head to its teeth. Parts of the design were colored blue. The purple leather strips that once wrapped around the hand grip turned into dark, smooth wood. The Keyblade's distinct and separated teeth merged into a single piece that made a blunt point at the tip and curved backward in a solid gold flame. Its design was sleek and curved, similarly to the magic lamp. It was as though the Keyblade had turned into an extension of the lamp itself.

Goofy and Dale exchanged amazed looks.

"I just need to practice a little," Sora told his doubters confidently. "It'll be just like learning magic."

Jiminy's eyes grew slightly wider. "Oh? So how good has your magic gotten, Sora?"

"Well..." Sora chuckled as he thought about how much better he had gotten.

"Not very good," Donald snorted.

Sora looked offended. "Hey! My magic's almost as good as yours, y'know!"

"No way! Not in a million years."

"Why don't you go see Merlin?" Goofy suggested as he approached his friends, the Keyblade in his hands. "Work more on your magic?"

"That's a good idea," Sora said with a grin as he took the Keyblade back from Goofy and put it away. "Well then, we're heading for Traverse Town!"

Goofy clapped his big gloved hands excitedly. "Oh boy! Traverse Town, here we come! Ahyuk!"

Donald rolled his eyes. "You're just gonna make a fool of yourself."

"Oh yeah?" There was a hint of a challenge in Sora's voice. "Alright then. Let's make a bet."

The court wizard perked up at the idea. He gave Sora a sly look. "A bet, huh?"

Jiminy looked horrified at the thought of a fourteen-year old boy making bets. He raised his umbrella objectively in the air. "Stop this right now! There will be no betting!"

Sora smiled. "If I can prove to Merlin that my magic has improved, then you have to let me drive to the next world. Deal?"

"Okay," Donald said through his mischievous grin. "But if you can't, then hands off the wheel until _I _say so."

The Key bearer looked thoughtful for a moment. "Deal."

They shook hands firmly, sealing their bet. Jiminy hung his head, disappointed. Donald turned away, rubbing his hands together and snickering to himself. Goofy could have sworn that he saw a set of red horns on top of the duck's head. Sora smiled cheerily as he returned his full attention to driving the Gummi ship.

"So, uh... which way to Traverse Town?"

Donald slapped his forehead.

----

They hadn't been traveling for very long when they spotted something unusual in their path. It looked to them like a large, dark blue-gray ball, floating in the middle of nowhere. Donald's eyes grew wide.

"What is that?" he wondered aloud.

Everyone leaned forward over the dashboard, squinting.

"Wow, it's huge!" Sora breathed.

They all stared at it for a while longer in confusion and amazement. Then suddenly, it moved forward, growing bigger and bigger by the moment. It turned itself slightly to the side, revealing its entire body. Goofy's eyes grew wider.

"It's a giant _whale_!" he shouted in shock.

Giant was right. It had to be at least two hundred feet long, with a huge box-shaped head. Its powerful tail whipped up and down, propelling its body forward. There was a small hump two-thirds of the way down its back. Ridges could be found on the skin between the hump and the whale's tail flukes. The whale opened its mouth wide as it charged forward, revealing many huge, cone-shaped teeth. Sora would have said that it was a sperm whale, but the amount of teeth in its mouth and the sheer size of it suggested otherwise.

The entire Gummi ship shook as the whale zoomed past them. Everyone had to grab hold of something in order to stay on their feet. Chip could be heard shouting orders at Dale as they tried to keep the engine stable. Jiminy looked terrified, recognizing the massive creature.

"It's Monstro!" he gasped.

Donald and Sora looked at Jiminy in confusion. " 'Monstro'?"

"He's a _whale _of a whale, and _vicious _besides!"

Just then, Monstro came around. He turned on the Gummi ship, straightening his long body out so that they were in line. Then, with a mighty flick of his enormous tail, Monstro charged. Donald quacked in alarm and began to jump in place, clinging onto the back of the driver's seat.

"Sora, get us _out _of here!"

His eyes were wide as Sora threw the engines into reverse and tried to back up as quickly as he could. But the giant whale was too fast and powerful. Sora looked back up through the windshield, his eyes growing even wider. Monstro was practically on top of them, his mouth wide open.

"Too late!" Sora shouted. "He's gonna swallow us!"

Everyone screamed in terror as the darkness within Monstro's mouth engulfed them. The Gummi ship shook violently, one of the giant teeth tearing through one of the wings. Chip and Dale could be heard screaming as alarms started to go off. The lights in the cockpit flickered for a while and then turned red. Everyone was pushed around as the ship was knocked from side to side. They clung onto whatever they could to keep themselves steady.

The Gummi ship shook again, this time rocking Sora so violently in his chair that he was jerked forward and hit his forehead on the steering wheel. His forehead throbbed for a moment before finally turning numb. Sora tried to pull himself together and get up, but he had lost all feeling in his body. The sound of the emergency alarms became muted as Sora's vision went black.

"A monster," he murmured as the world around him vanished. "A monster..."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Uwaaahhh, finally finished off the Agrabah chapters. only took me forever. phew It's now time to move on with the story. This chapter has two roles: concluding Agrabah and transition from world to world. I sorta snagged the Goofy falling off of the carpet sequence from the manga (not quite exactly, but for some reason I liked the idea of the Genie saving him...) and mixed the dialogue in the apartment up a little between the movie, manga, and game.  
I had a hard time describing what the Three Wishes Keyblade looks like, but I hope you can form a rough image in your head. It's pretty! It's one of my favorite Keyblades, actually. :P If you really wanna know exactly what it looks like, I point you in the direction of KH Ultimania (look it up, check it out, that site has been extremely helpful to me). 


	23. A Whale of A Tale

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note:** sorry for the consistently slow updates, but Monstro, that whale of a whale, is proving to be a challenge to explain. He is "indeterminately large", judging from what the inside of the whale looks like in the movie (he was like, a giant cavern. he had no organs). And if you have played Kingdom Hearts, he has the weirdest innards you've _ever _seen in your life. This is why I struggle. Argh. Forgive me.

_** ---------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Chapter 22**_**  
A Whale of A Tale**

"It's _true_!" he insisted. "I saw it with my _own eyes_!"

Sora hurried down the ladder and then ran across the wooden planks that stuck out of the sides of the tree. His sandal caught in the space between the planks and he tripped. Sora stumbled clumsily forward, hopping on one foot to catch himself. He stopped, adjusted his sandal, and then looked behind him, making sure that his best friend was following him. The silver-haired boy sighed as he followed after Sora slowly, his hands in his pockets.

"You sure you didn't just _hear _it this time?"

"What difference does it make?" Sora said excitedly. "There's a _huge monster _in there, I tell you!"

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited impatiently for Riku to catch up with him. His best friend just looked at him for a moment, raising one eyebrow.

"All right," Riku sighed. "Suppose there really _is _a monster..."

Sora gave him an agitated look. Why wouldn't Riku believe him? He thought he was so smart, just because he was a year older than him.

"Think we can beat it by ourselves, Sora?"

Riku came to a stop when he was standing next to Sora, his hands still in his pockets. The stern expression on his young face hadn't changed. Sora grinned from ear to ear and chuckled. He then clenched one small hand into a fist, a look of determination on his face.

"No problem," he told Riku with confidence. "Let's do it!"

His best friend's green eyes went wide with surprise at the response. With one last sigh, Riku shut his eyes and gave in, a small smile on his face. Without another word, Riku resumed walking down the platform toward the base of the tree. Sora blinked as he watched Riku go. Then, realizing that he had won Riku over, Sora's grin grew as he hurried forward to lead the way.

They stopped when they reached a hole in the wall of rock. It was hidden in the space between the big tree and the stone, and had green vines and plants growing all over it. Sora stepped forward, bending over slightly.

"Listen!" he said, pointing into the dark hole. "There! Can you hear it growling?"

A deep rumbling noise could be heard from within, along with a hollow whistling. The sound was soft, but definitely audible. Sora smiled when he saw Riku's eyes grow wide. So much for the cool front that he had put up. Riku would _have _to admit that Sora was right this time!

"Shh, quiet," Riku whispered as he stared wide-eyed into the dark. "We've gotta be careful."

Sora grunted softly, turning away. Even though it was obvious that Riku was scared, he was still acting like the boss. Riku then took a hesitant, careful step forward, his gaze darting around. Sora slowly followed his lead. They ended up walking down a long, earthy tunnel toward a faint light. The roots of the big tree stuck out from every side, keeping the tunnel walls in place. Riku swallowed hard as he pressed forward.

As soon as they reached the end of the tunnel, Riku let out a relieved breath.

"See that?" he said, turning to Sora. "It was just the wind making that noise."

The tunnel opened up to a large, hollow cavern. The walls were all rocks piled on top of each other, held together by the long, twisted roots of the tree above. There were still spaces between the rocks, allowing a small amount of sunlight to enter the cavern. Sora stared up through the gaps with a disappointed sigh when he heard the wind blowing through the room. It was the sound that he thought was the growl of a monster.

"Aw, man," he muttered, putting his arms up over his head. "I wish it was a monster."

Riku shook his head, looking at Sora in frustration. Sora just smiled at him sheepishly. Then his eyes caught on something on the far end of the cavern.

"Hold on! What's that over there?"

He pointed it out to Riku, a confused look on his face. Riku turned around to see, raising one eyebrow. Nestled amongst the rocks and stones on the other side of the cavern was what looked like a strange door. It seemed to be made out of wood, with intricate gold embroidery on its surface.

"A window, or maybe a door?" Riku stared for a moment before approaching it. Finding that there was no handle on it, he put both hands on its surface carefully and pushed. "It won't open."

Sora groaned. "Geez, is that really all that's in here?"

Riku turned around, annoyed. "What do you expect in a boring place like this?"

The young boy blinked as he looked at his best friend. Uncomfortable with the touch of anger that had been in Riku's voice, Sora laughed nervously. He then put both hands casually on the back of his head and looked around the cavern. There just _had _to be something else in there of interest. Riku relaxed and walked away from the door to join Sora.

"Hey, Sora."

"Hm?"

Sora turned back to look at Riku. He was surprised at the sudden excitement that clearly burned in his sharp green eyes. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides and an enthusiastic smile could be seen on his face.

"When we grow up, let's get off this island," he said eagerly. "We'll go on _real _adventures, not this _kid _stuff!"

Stunned by Riku's sudden change of tone, Sora was left speechless for a moment. He blinked his blue eyes in bewilderment. Then, happy to see that Riku wasn't always so boring and bossy, Sora smiled and nodded his head.

"Sure. But isn't there anything fun to do _now_?"

Riku just returned the smile as they both turned back to the tunnel to leave. Sora marched casually out of the cavern, his best friend following just behind him. Then, remembering something interesting, he glanced back at Riku with a silly grin on his face.

"Hey, you know the new girl at the mayor's house? Did you hear...?"

------------------------------

Sora opened his eyes slowly, pulling himself together. He found himself staring at the wheel, not even an inch away from his face. Sora raised his head, looking around him carefully. The nose of the Gummi ship was pointed slightly downward and Sora would have fallen out of his chair if he wasn't still strapped in. All the lights in the Gummi ship were turned off. No one seemed to be left inside the ship except for Sora.

Finding a good place for his feet, Sora undid the straps and slipped out of the driver's seat. He then made his way out of the cockpit, crawling up the slight upward slope. He clambered down the ladder and headed for the airlock. As soon as he had opened the door, Sora could hear Chip and Dale's voices as they worked on repairing the damages done to the Gummi ship. He wasn't able to tell what they were saying to one another, nor see where they were. He wondered for a moment just how damaged the ship was, but decided that it didn't matter since he knew very little about the Gummi ship and disembarked.

His feet touched on a squishy, wet pink floor. It moved slightly under his feet, giving Sora an unsettling feeling in his stomach. Sora raised his eyes and looked around, trying to figure out where they were. It looked like a large, cavernous room of some sort. Everything was pink or red, drenched in water and slimy fluids. The whole place had a very organic feel to it. The air itself was warm and heavy with moisture. There was a large body of some sort of liquid nearby, with tall pillars of wood scattered all throughout. They seemed to have once been a part of a large boat, half of which was stranded on one side of the cavern.

"Knock it _off_!"

Sora turned around at the sound of the loud, impatient quack. Standing not very far away were Donald and Goofy, staring up at one of the large pillars. Donald tapped one webbed foot on the wet floor, muttering something under his breath in frustration. Goofy stood with his shield over his head as a small box suddenly flew out and landed near their feet. There were several different kinds of boxes and chests littered around them. Sora approached carefully, his sneakers making a loud squish with every step.

Goofy turned his head slightly and looked at Sora, a concerned look on his face. "Hey, Sora. Are you okay?"

The Keyblade master nodded, rubbing at the small bruise on his head. "What are you guys doing? Where are we, anyway?"

Suddenly, another small chest fell to the floor, flying toward Sora. He immediately jumped back and dodged it, his blue eyes growing wide.

"Whoa!"

"Uh, ya know, I think that big ol' whale Monstro just swallowed us," Goofy chuckled.

Sora swallowed, the unsettling feeling in his gut growing. The idea of being inside the body of a whale wasn't exactly appealing. Now he understood why he felt so uneasy when he looked around. When he looked around him again, he realized that there was a set of large, sharp teeth behind him. Sora gripped one hand to his stomach, fighting the nausea. It was hard to believe that Donald and Goofy seemed to be fine with the idea.

Still smiling, Goofy glanced upward. "And for today's weather: expect showers."

Just then, one more box dropped with a heavy clunk on top of Goofy's shield. Sora jumped back slightly in alarm and stared at the box in disbelief. The captain of the guard laughed nervously.

"_Heavy _showers!"

Donald raised an angry fist in the air. "HEY! Who's there!"

A head suddenly popped up from the inside of a red treasure chest. It was the head of a young, bright-eyed boy with dark black hair and a yellow hat. His skin looked strangely fake, like polished wood. Everyone's attention turned to him at once, each of them blinking in confusion. Sora walked toward his friends and stopped next to them, his eyes on the face of the boy. The boy smiled at Donald and waved one gloved hand in the air.

"It's me," he said cheerfully.

The duck relaxed. "Oh, it's just Pinocchio." He did a double-take. "_Pinocchio_!"

Right at that moment, Jiminy hopped up onto Sora's shoulder and joined everyone in staring at the live puppet with a stunned expression on his face.

"Pinocchio?"

The boy puppet pulled something out of the treasure chest and began to walk away. It looked like a huge green block, made of some strange substance. Unless Sora was wrong, Pinocchio had just walked off with a giant green Gummi block. He glanced at Donald in confusion, but the duck seemed too busy figuring out whether or not he should be angry or confused to notice.

"Pinocch," Jiminy called again, "where are you going? Pinocch!"

Still no answer from the puppet. Pinocchio leapt from one wooden platform to another, carrying the Gummi block in both arms. Jiminy grew increasingly worried, fidgeting with the handle of his red umbrella. He then looked to Sora and the others for help.

"Come on, everybody! After him! Quick!"

Sora looked at Pinocchio as he jumped from pillar to pillar, then back at Jiminy. "And how do we do that? I don't think I can jump high enough to get on top of those platforms."

The cricket looked at the tall pile of wood thoughtfully. "I suppose you're right. How about you swim in the water here?"

Everyone turned to look at the dirty-looking lake. Sora groaned, staring worriedly at the liquid. Even Donald and Goofy seemed skeptical of the idea.

"How do we even know that's water?" Donald asked, stealing the words right out of Sora's mouth.

"What do you mean? What else would it be?"

"Oh, I don't know," Sora muttered. "Something like... stomach acid?"

"Or some other digestive fluid stuff that could somehow hurt us," Donald suggested.

Jiminy laughed, waving the idea off. "Of course not! This is only Monstro's _mouth_! There couldn't _possibly _be any stomach acid in his mouth."

A smile crossed Goofy's face as he looked at Jiminy, clearly impressed by the cricket's intellect. Donald and Sora looked over at the water and moved cautiously toward it. They stared warily into the lake for a long moment before finally testing it out. Upon discovering that it really was just salt water, everyone jumped in and swam off in the direction that Pinocchio had gone. Jiminy jumped into Sora's hood and secured himself within the folds of cloth.

Pinocchio had carried the Gummi block all the way to the shipwreck. Sora hadn't noticed before, but he could see a warm light emanating from the deck of the ship. He swam closer, curiosity getting the best of him. It wasn't long before he could hear voices.

"What have you got there, Pinocchio?"

"With this, we can get out of here, Father."

Sora, Donald and Goofy pulled themselves up onto a pile of wooden planks next to the shipwreck. They carefully walked over the strips of wood until they were high enough to reach the deck. They grabbed onto the edges and strained to see who was there. There were two figures on deck, one of whom was Pinocchio, laying the Gummi block down on the floor. The other was a tall, kindly old man with puffy white hair and a moustache. He wore a long-sleeved light blue button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black vest over it. The man had on a pair of dark trousers with high socks and brown buckle shoes. Just like Pinocchio, his clothes seemed to be Italian made. He adjusted the small pair of spectacles on the tip of his nose as he stared at what Pinocchio presented to him.

"Really?" he asked the puppet in surprise. "With this big block? You think so?"

"It's true."

Both Pinocchio and the old man turned at the sound of Sora's voice. The Keyblade master smiled at them as he pulled himself up on deck, Donald and Goofy following closely. Running his hands through his wet hair, Sora took a few steps forward, turning to the boy puppet.

"So, how did you end up here, Pinocchio?"

The old man moved closer, gasping in surprise. "Oh, my! So the whale swallowed all of you, too?" He could hardly help but chuckle nervously. "My goodness!"

Sora laughed as he squeezed some of the water out of his jacket. "Yeah, looks like it."

The man then cleared his throat. "My name is Geppetto," he said with a warm smile. "I'm Pinocchio's father."

Pinocchio smiled sheepishly, putting his feet together and hiding his hands behind his back. Everyone's eyes grew slightly wider. The father of a puppet? They each looked to one another in confusion, but Geppetto didn't seem to notice. They shrugged their shoulders before turning back to Geppetto as he continued his story.

"When we got separated," he went on, "I traveled all over, looking for him. Thank goodness we're together again."

Geppetto picked up the Gummi block that Pinocchio had brought him and carried it over to a small bed, sheltered by the remaining rooftop of the boat. Sora couldn't help but smile at what looked like the set up of a small, humble home. There was even a small fishbowl on top of a drawer, with a tiny stone castle and a delicate-looking goldfish inside. Curled up on the bed was a small black and white kitten, fast asleep.

"You seem to know Pinocchio quite well," Geppetto observed as he lay the block on the floor. "I hope he was a good boy in my absence."

At that comment, Donald and Goofy looked at one another, debating silently whether or not to tell Geppetto about Pinocchio's adventure as a petty thief. Sora glanced over at his friends, knowing exactly what they were thinking about, and waited for an answer. Donald just shrugged, settling the debate, and they all turned back to Geppetto in silence.

Geppetto seated himself down on the edge of the bed, gently scratching the top of the kitten's head. "Well, we've all had quite a journey. Right, Pinocchio?"

Everyone turned to look over at the puppet, only to find him missing. A panicked look came over Geppetto's face as his eyes darted in all directions. He jumped to his feet and ran forward.

"_Pinocchio_?"

Goofy blinked. "Where'd he go?"

The trio immediately joined the search, wandering the deck of the ship and looking for signs of the puppet. Donald grunted, his gaze sweeping from one end of the ship to the other.

"Wasn't he just here?" he muttered.

"Gawrsh, he sure moves fast, for a li'l wooden guy."

Sora leaned over the railing, looking toward the dark tunnel in the monster whale's gut. He squinted his eyes, noticing something move deeper into the shadows. He leaned further, straining to catch a glimpse of the person's features. When that didn't work, he walked out on the plank that extended out on the starboard side to get closer. Sora squinted again and managed to catch a glimpse of red overalls and white gloves.

"There he is!" Sora informed the others. He cupped his hands around his mouth and drew in a deep breath. "Pinocchio!"

No response. The others hurried toward Sora and looked toward the tunnel. Donald walked out onto the plank so that he was standing next to Sora and leaned forward.

"Where?"

"Inside that tunnel thing."

"I don't see him."

"Well, he definitely went in there."

Geppetto wrung his hands worriedly. "I told him not to wander off here..." He then sighed sadly. "He can be a naughty boy. Even so, he's very precious to me."

Sora looked at Geppetto sympathetically. He knew how the old man felt and just how worried he must have been about Pinocchio. Geppetto had been so happy just knowing that he had been reunited with someone important to him; of course he would be afraid to get separated from Pinocchio again. Similarly, Sora couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Riku. They hadn't seen each other since that time in Traverse Town, and even then...

Taking a deep breath, Sora hopped down from the plank and landed on the springy floor. He took a few steps toward the tunnel before looking back up at Geppetto, a smile on his face.

"Don't worry, Geppetto," he said with a nod. "We'll go get him."

Geppetto gasped in surprise. "You would do that? I'd hate to trouble you..."

Sora shook his head. "It's no trouble, Mr. Geppetto! Come on you guys."

As the Keyblade master walked off toward the tunnel, his two friends blinked in confusion. They looked at one another, the same expression of mild suprise plastered on their faces. Sora looked back up at them when he realized they hadn't followed him.

"Guys!"

Goofy tumbled over the railing and fell to the floor with a loud howl. He lay there dazed for a moment, stars circling over his head. Sora sighed and hurried over to help Goofy up. He smiled at the captain of the guard, shaking his head.

"You've really got watch where you step, Goofy," he laughed.

"Ahyuk! Sorry!"

As soon as Goofy was back on his feet, he lost his footing on the slimy floor and slipped. He yelped in shock, grabbing onto Sora's shoulder for support. Goofy's heavier frame dragged Sora down as well, and they both fell to the floor. Sora's eyes grew wide in disgust at the slimy texture beneath his hands.

Having watched the entire scene safely from atop the ship, Donald laughed at their expense. "Those two would be in so much trouble without me around."

Sora folded his arms over his chest and grumbled something under his breath while glaring up at the court wizard. Goofy just scratched his head in confusion. Only when Donald finished laughing did he jump down to join his friends.

Geppetto watched them warily as they entered the tunnel. "Beware of the green monsters floating around," he called out. "They'll try to drive you deeper into Monstro."

"Got it!" Sora called back, waving.

They quickly vanished out of Geppetto's line of sight, delving deeper into Monstro's body. Geppetto sighed and then sat down on the bed, patiently awaiting their return to the shipwreck.

------------------------------

Goofy cupped both hands around his mouth. "PINOOOOCCHIOOOO!"

"Pinocchio, where are you?"

Sora stared at their surroundings, still feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't know much about whales so he had no idea what part of Monstro's body they had entered, but wherever they were, it was a strange-looking place. The walls were a teal color, speckled with bright multi-colored spots. They twitched and moved, pulsating somewhat rhythmically. They could hear the sound of a heartbeat echoing from somewhere deep within the whale's body. It sounded far away, but the pulsating walls seemed to suggest otherwise.

Jiminy tapped Sora's ear with his umbrella, bringing him back to reality. "Enough staring, Sora."

"Oh, sorry."

The Key bearer took a few steps forward, his gaze sweeping over the area. There were several other tunnels connected to the chamber they had entered, all spreading out in different directions. Donald and Goofy were inspecting a few of them, carefully peering into the deep shadows. Sora swallowed nervously, looking into a different tunnel.

He glanced back at his friends. "Hey... aren't you guys grossed out at all?"

Donald looked at Sora, one eyebrow raised. "Whaddaya mean?"

"I mean... we're inside the body of a giant whale. That doesn't crank up any disgusting points to you guys?"

Goofy blinked slowly. "Now that ya mention it... it _is _pretty gross, huh?"

"But it's not like we can help it, Sora," Jiminy said matter-of-factly. "Monstro swallowed us. We can't just leave because the sight of whale insides makes us feel sick."

Sora gave up, letting out a breath. "You're right. I'll get over it."

Just then, as Sora was about to look into a different tunnel, he spotted Pinocchio peering out at them from inside of one. Jiminy pulled himself up onto Sora's shoulder to see.

"Pinocchio!" he cried.

The young puppet smiled at them sheepishly. Sora sighed, relieved at being able to find him so quickly. Pinocchio withdrew slightly as everyone approached him. Noticing this, Sora came to a stop several feet away, his eyebrows coming together in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked him. "Come on, let's go back."

"You know, Geppetto's awfully worried about you," Goofy said gently.

Pinocchio remained silent, pressing his hands into the fleshy walls. He lowered his gaze to the floor and inched slightly backward. "B-But I have to..."

Sora was suddenly very upset with the puppet's stubbornness. He couldn't bear the fact that Pinocchio was causing Geppetto unnecessary grief with his disappearing act.

"Pinocchio, stop fooling around!" he said sternly. "This is no time for games!"

Both Donald and Jiminy could be seen nodding their heads in solemn agreement. Pinocchio looked somewhat shocked and embarrassed at being chewed out. He dropped his arms to his sides and hung his head. Sora watched him for a moment before turning around to go back to where Geppetto was waiting. His two friends followed closely behind.

"But, Sora! I thought you _liked _games."

Alarms suddenly went off in Sora's head. His eyes went wide at the sound of the familiar voice. Sora spun around and looked back. A tall silver-haired boy with sharp green eyes entered the chamber through the same tunnel Pinocchio was hiding in. He strode forward and came to a stop next to Pinocchio, his arms folded proudly over his chest and a teasing look on his face.

"Or are you too _cool _to play them now that you have the Keyblade?"

Sora could hardly believe what was going on. "_Riku_? Wh-What are you doing here?"

He half expected Riku to launch into a long, in depth story about how he had ended up inside the body of a monstrous whale. Then he would tell him a plan or two that he developed on getting out of the whale, and what Sora would have to do to make it work. But Riku only gave him a casual shrug.

"Just playing with Pinocchio," he said nonchalantly.

Riku smiled slightly in Sora's direction, an almost cruel gleam in his eyes. Sora was taken aback by his best friend's strange behavior. He suddenly had a very bad feeling... Sora shook his head vigorously, pushing the doubt aside. This was Riku. His best friend. The level-headed leader.

"You know what I mean!" Sora said firmly, taking a step forward. "What about Kairi? Did you find her?"

"Maybe." Riku's smile darkened as he glanced at Pinocchio. "Catch us, and maybe I'll tell you what I know."

Sora didn't know whether he should be confused or upset with Riku. Since when did he always want to play games and mess around? They were all inside the body of a whale. Even Goofy was taking things seriously! Sora let out an exasperated sigh and stomped one foot on the floor in frustration.

"Come on!"

Still smiling, Riku took Pinocchio by the hand and led the puppet away, back through the tunnel he had entered. His mocking laughter echoed back at them as they ran away. Jiminy leaned forward, his eyes growing wide. "Hey! Where are you taking Pinocchio?"

"Riku!" Sora called after them, desperately confused. "Riku, wait!"

The only response he received was the echoing laughter in its last moments. Sora clenched his hands into tight fists and immediately chased after Riku. The sudden movement pushed Jiminy backward, sliding from Sora's shoulder back into his black hood.

"Whoa!" Donald yelled as he and Goofy set after him. "Sora, wait up!"

The Key bearer briefly glanced back over his shoulder. "Come on, guys!"

"WAIT UP!"

"You heard Riku," Sora said as he ran. "I've gotta catch him."

"Yeah, but look out for--"

Suddenly, Sora was struck in the side and went tumbling across the fleshy floor with a yell of shock and pain. He only stopped rolling when he hit the nearest wall in full force. Donald and Goofy came up as quickly as they could from behind. A Cure spell seemed to be ready on Donald's staff as they approached.

"Sora! Are you okay?"

The Keyblade master shook himself free of the shock. "Yeah, I'm fine. But what...?"

He got to his feet and turned to face what hit him. Positioned several feet away, all in battle stances, was a small group of monsters. One of them was large and fat, with arms like swinging hammers that were drumming its belly in a taunt. Floating on either side of the monster were two more that looked like ghost-dolls, with one yellow light bulb eye dangling out of the socket on a chain and dressed in purple suits and gloves. The insignia on their chests was altogether too familiar.

"Why are there Heartless here?" Sora shouted in shock.

"Shouldn't you be used to 'em by now?" Donald shouted back.

"They just pop up everywhere we go," Goofy sighed. "Gawrsh, maybe they're _stalkin'_ us!"

The large body Heartless jumped forward, swinging its massive arms in an attack. Everyone immediately rolled out of the way of danger. Sora leapt to his feet and looked about him frantically. There were two paths to choose from in this chamber. Which one had Riku and Pinocchio gone through? Sora cursed his luck for not seeing which way they went. He pulled out the Keyblade and sprung into action, swinging the tip of it into the wide-open backside of the Heartless.

"This doesn't make any sense," Sora insisted. "We're inside a giant whale! There's no Keyhole here for the Heartless to target."

"How do ya know?" Goofy asked, whacking a ghost with the edge of his shield.

Sora jumped back slightly, dodging the Heartless' swinging arm. "Well, Aerith and Leon said that the Heartless enter the Keyhole and do something to the world's core." He jabbed the Keyblade into the monster's belly. "That's what they do, right? But why would there be a Keyhole inside of a _whale_...?"

Bolts of electricity rained on top of the other ghost Heartless. Seemingly offended by the attack, the ghost disappeared into a ring of bright light, only to appear again in a different spot. Donald prepared another Thunder spell, stepping back so that he would see where the Heartless would reappear.

"You might be right, Sora," Donald said. "So what do we do?"

With one last, powerful slash, Sora finally defeated the large body, turning it into little more than black dust and smoke. He let out a breath and looked around again, checking for any more Heartless that may have appeared.

"We've gotta catch up to Riku."

Donald quacked loudly and his jaw dropped as he created a heavy gravitational force field around the ghost. He looked wide-eyed at Sora, confused by the boy's answer.

"We _what_?"

Sora cast a Thunder spell on a small, floating Heartless with a green torso and yellow hat that hovered near one of the pathways. The tiny Heartless shook its body vigorously, sparkly green lights raining out of its body, and then floated away through the tunnel. Sora followed it, determined not to let it escape. Donald was still staring at Sora, frozen in place although he had defeated the Heartless.

"That wasn't the answer I was expecting!" he quacked. "You're not thinkin' straight! What happened to the hero you were at Agrabah? What happened to that wonderful feeling of respect I had for you? SORA! COME BACK HERE!"

But Sora had already passed through the tunnel, chasing after the small green heartless. The wizard almost wanted to tear the feathers out of his head.

"I don't get it," Goofy said, scratching his head. "What does talking to Riku have to do with all the Heartless inside Monstro's body?"

"That's what _I _wanna know!" Donald screamed in frustration. He then stomped his feet on the floor and took a deep breath. "Let's go, Goofy. We at least can't let him get too far."

He took another deep breath and then took off after Sora. Goofy blinked.

"Gawrsh, Donald!" he laughed as he followed his friends. "Yer gettin' real good at controllin' your temper!"

The duck growled. "Why, I oughta... I'll show _you _controllin' my temper..."

They tore through the floods of Heartless that awaited them in every chamber, their weapons flashing. In a fit of rage, Donald used his magic on anything that came near him, just in case it was an enemy. Both Sora and Goofy kept themselves a safe distance from the duck, afraid to get caught in his flurry of fierce attacks. Goofy charged shield-first into the Heartless while Sora sliced his way through, searching for signs of Riku and Pinocchio all the while.

Sora was starting to lose track of where they were. Every chamber looked exactly the same, and he had a very strong feeling that they were moving in circles. There were Heartless everywhere, particularly the small green ones that floated in the air. They seemed to be leading Sora from chamber to chamber, in a complex circle of some kind. When Sora realized this he cursed himself for falling for the trap. Hadn't Geppetto warned him about those monsters as well?

Just as he was about to give up hope and try to find a way back out, he caught a glimpse of red trousers and a yellow hat on a lower platform. Sora immediately froze and he turned to get a better look. Was it... It was!

"Pinocchio!"

Jiminy poked his head out of Sora's hood. "Pinocchio? Where?"

The wooden boy turned and looked up at the sound of his name. When he realized it had come from Sora, his eyes grew wide. Jiminy looked offended.

"Pinocch! Come back here! It's dangerous running around inside a whale!"

"Come on!" Sora yelled again. "Geppetto's waiting for-"

"But he _promised_ me!" Pinocchio insisted, turning to run away. "He promised he would help us get home! He said he knew a way out!"

Sora drew in a sharp breath. "You mean... Riku?"

But it was too late to get a reply. Pinocchio had already dashed into another tunnel and was gone. For a moment, Sora could only stare after him. What was Riku _doing_? He gripped the Keyblade in frustration as he turned to look at Donald and Goofy, who were still fighting through the hordes of Heartless.

"Guys! We've gotta follow Pinocchio!"

The dog and duck looked over at Sora, somewhat exasperated as they each knocked away another Heartless. Sora immediately wanted to apologize when he saw their faces. It was bad enough just thinking that something was wrong with Riku. The guilt was almost overwhelming when he realized that he had dragged Donald and Goofy into his problems. However, there was no time for that now. He made a mental note to apologize to everyone as soon as he could.

"Hang on tight, Jiminy."

The small cricket ducked back into Sora's hood as he leapt down to the lower level. He looked back over his shoulder once to make sure that Donald and Goofy were still with him, and then continued to chase after the young puppet.

_**---------------------------------------------------**_

**Author's Note: **I _love _flashbacks. This happens to be one of my favorite ones, but I had to do a little bit of reconstruction with it. Why does Riku remind me of Sasuke? Or rather, Sasuke remind me of Riku? Curse these silly boys.

and... does anyone know what the heck is going on with the breaks? is it just me, or are they really just not working at all?


	24. I've Got No Strings

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **_(bows several times in apology) _i'm so sorry that the updates have been so consistently slow! writer's block completely bites, and i only recently had a brief creative blast. urk, how long it'll last is anyone's guess... so i better take advantage of it now. --;; anyways, sorry again! man, i hope people are still reading...

i feel like this update might be a teensy bit premature, but i also figure that people are getting tired of waiting for me to update. :D it's pretty much ready as it is, so there's really no point in prolonging the wait any further. right? right. that said, welcome to chapter 23, Monstro interior part 2!

* * *

_**Chapter 23**_  
**I've Got No Strings**

_Monstro_

Riku strode forward, entering another of the many chambers. He glanced back over his shoulder. He had long since outrun Sora, but getting too far ahead of Pinocchio could be a problem. Riku slowed in his step, listening carefully for the sound of Pinocchio's wooden joints. He couldn't hear it. Instead, he heard something else.

"Why do you still care about that boy?"

He stopped walking and turned around to face Maleficent. She approached him slowly, taking long, even strides. She looked at Riku with a wicked, secretive smile, returning the grave gaze that he had set on her.

"He has all but _deserted _you for the _Keyblade _and his _new companions_, after all."

The dark fairy took special care to emphasize the right words, fueling the small spark of hatred she had lit within the boy. Riku lowered his gaze to the floor. He pressed his lips together in a stern line and quickly turned away.

"I don't care about him," he told her gruffly. "I-I was just messin' with him a little."

Maleficent raised one eyebrow, still smiling. "Oh, really? Of _course _you were."

Riku chose not to respond to the mocking tone in her voice. He just snorted in annoyance, his eyes shut tight. The dark fairy resumed walking, lifting her staff. She kept her dead gaze on Riku as she walked past him.

"Beware the darkness in your heart," she warned him through her secretive smile. "The Heartless prey upon it."

She raised one hand slightly in the air in front of her and pushed something invisible aside. A dark, whirling vortex appeared before her, a deep purple glow coming from somewhere deep within it. Maleficent cast one final glance at Riku and stepped into the portal. Riku glared at her, clenching his hands into fists.

"Mind your own business," he growled after her.

With that, Maleficent disappeared without a trace. Riku narrowed his eyes, his gaze still set firmly on where the dark fairy had vanished. She didn't know the first thing about him. She had no right to pretend that she did. Only then did the sound of creaking wooden joints enter his senses, growing louder with each passing moment. Riku turned ever so slightly, just enough to allow him to see the entrance to the chamber.

In ran Pinocchio, the expression on his face a mix of fear and worry. The puppet stumbled by as quickly as his wooden legs would allow. Following close behind were Sora, Donald, and Goofy, their weapons in hand. As soon as they saw one another, Sora slid to a halt and looked at his best friend in shock.

"Riku!"

The silver-haired boy didn't answer him. He merely stared at the fancy-looking Keyblade in Sora's hand for a moment, as if its wielder had ceased to exist. Sora fiddled with the handle of the Keyblade, uncomfortable under Riku's icy stare. Riku then turned his attention to Pinocchio and followed him with his eyes. He watched, expressionless, as Pinocchio hurried past him, passing through a different tunnel that no doubt led into another part of Monstro's innards. A part of Sora wanted to follow Pinocchio, but something about Riku's manner held him still.

"What's the matter with you?" Sora demanded. "What are you thinking? Don't you realize what you're doing?"

Riku narrowed his eyes. "I was about to ask you the same thing, Sora," he said coldly. "You only seem interested in running around and showing off that Keyblade these days."

Sora was taken aback by the comment. He slowly lowered his gaze to look at the Keyblade in his hand. He could only stare at it for a moment, shocked by Riku's words. Sora swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly very dry. He wanted to tell Riku that he was wrong, but his voice had somehow been caught in his throat.

_'I... I didn't _ask _for this...'_

"Do you even _want _to save Kairi?"

There was a sudden, shooting pain in his chest like he had been stabbed in the heart. He looked up at Riku sharply, meaning to shout out that he was wrong, but he suddenly felt like Riku was right. It seemed as though everything he had gone through so far had nothing to with saving Kairi... Sora hung his head sadly, his voice barely audible.

"I... I do..."

Just then, Pinocchio's voice rang out in a plaintive shout. Everyone looked toward where Pinocchio had vanished, a look of panic on their faces. Riku gritted his teeth in annoyance, turned sharply on his heel and quickly went to find the puppet. Donald and Goofy stepped forward as though meaning to follow him, but stopped when they realized that Sora hadn't moved. His blue eyes were once again lowered to the floor, still in a state of shock.

"C'mon, Sora!" Goofy urged. "We gotta save Pinocchio!"

He looked back up at Donald and Goofy, disoriented for a moment. Then, pulling himself together as quickly as he could, Sora nodded his head and chased after Riku through one of the tunnel valves. As soon as they came out on the other side, they joined Riku in staring at their surroundings in a mix of surprise and nausea. They entered a large, circular chamber with pulsating walls. Fluids could be seen oozing out of several large pores scattered about. And in the middle of the room was a very strange and almost disgusting-looking creature.

It looked as though one of Monstro's organs (though it was hard to tell which organ it could be) came to life. It was still rooted in place, but two long valves that must have connected somewhere before had been removed and now served as large, hammer-like arms. It was hard to tell which part was its head, as it seemed to have a pair of yellow eyes on each bulbous body part. Its gut was hollow and cavernous, looking more like a cross between a mouth and a cage. What could be interpreted as teeth barred the passage, still leaving large gaps in between. Pinocchio could be seen trapped inside, looking drained of energy and in pain. Just above the cage was the insignia of the Heartless.

Donald leapt into the air, quacking incoherently and flailing his arms in a wild rage. "Why are there so many Heartless in here?!?"

"Help!" Pinocchio shouted sadly from his prison. "I'm scared!"

"Hang in there, Pinocchio!" Goofy called encouragingly. "We'll save ya!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean any harm! I just wanted to help Father!"

"Don't worry! Everything's gonna be okay!"

Riku turned to look sternly at Sora. "You up for this?"

A small grin crept onto Sora's face as he got into a fighting stance. "No problem. Let's do it!"

With a soft grunt, Riku looked away from Sora and at the Heartless. He pulled out his red and black sword and prepared to fight. Donald and Goofy readied themselves as well, looking to one another with firm nods of their heads. Riku made the first move. He dashed forward, jumping down from the elevated platform and making a vicious charge at the parasite. He sliced into the monster's flesh, his sword brimming with a mysterious energy. The Heartless roared in pain and then swung one of its heavy, mallet-like arms, knocking Riku away.

"Riku!" Sora shouted in concern.

The silver-haired boy shook his head, picking himself up and quickly recovering from the hit. "I'm fine!" he assured Sora before leaping back into the fray. "You worry about yourself."

Sora clenched his teeth and charged forward as well, Donald and Goofy on either side of him. He slashed downward with the Keyblade, only to get knocked into the air. He hit a distant wall with a disgruntling squish and dropped to the floor. Goofy howled in concern, holding up his shield protectively. He made to move to Sora's side when the parasite swung again, this time hitting Donald and Goofy with its hammer-like arms and sending them flying. They hit the same wall as Sora and slid down so that they were next to him, stars circling over their heads.

"Don't knock out on me, guys!" Sora wailed, using Cure to revive them.

Meanwhile, Riku was dancing all around the monster, slashing his sword and damaging the monster greatly. He glanced back at Sora and his friends, smirking.

"What's wrong?" he called mockingly. "Can't you or your little side-kicks keep up?"

The Key bearer spun around, a frustrated look on his face. "We can, too!"

"And we're not his side-kicks!" Donald shouted as loudly as he could, raising a fist into the air. "We're his friends!"

Riku seemed to flinch at the words. Then he suddenly released a bitter laugh. "Oh really? Then prove it."

Narrowing his blue eyes, Sora got to his feet and gripped the Keyblade even tighter in his hands. Donald and Goofy looked up at him in weary surprise.

"C'mon guys," he said, his voice filled with determination. "Let's go."

The wizard had to roll his eyes at Sora's competitive nature. On the other hand, Sora had a point; Donald definitely didn't like that Riku had just doubted their abilities as competent fighters. The feeling was unanimous amongst the trio of warriors and they all rose swiftly to the challenge. Sora looked over at his friends, both of whom gave him a thumbs up, and then charged at the Heartless monster.

Pinocchio watched the battle rage desperately from within his fleshy prison, wailing helplessly. Donald was bombarding the monster with a flurry of Thunders and Gravity spells. Goofy just charged at the monster shield first, occasionally getting thrown back by another of the parasite's mighty swings. Sora and Riku, however, were putting on quite an interesting show.

Their attacks were fiercely competitive with one another, but were strangely in synch. When one fighter was left wide open after an attack, the other covered for him. Their slashes came one after the other, alternating between Sora and Riku, creating a perfect combination. But at the same time, they were both determined to hurt the monster more than the other could, and the ferocity of their movements escalated throughout the battle.

Donald and Goofy were stunned by the display and would stop attacking every so often to watch them fight. The court wizard let out a low, impressed whistle.

"They're really fighting out there," he said.

"Yeah," Goofy agreed with a nod. "And not just with the monster - but with each other!"

The duck rolled his eyes, choosing to let Goofy's ignorance slide this time. Then, with renewed strength and energy, both dog and duck charged forward.

The Heartless parasite howled in rage and fiercely swung its arms down on Sora and Riku. Both boys managed to block the attack with the length of their weapons, but Sora was overpowered and the Key bearer dropped to one knee on the ground. Riku, on the other hand, parried the attack and pushed the monster's arm to the side. Then, in one swift movement, Riku leapt high into the air and ran the tip of his sword into the monster's flesh.

Sora could only watch, part of him awestruck and another part jealous of Riku's ability. The tall boy dug the blade deeper into the parasite's body, making it howl again in rage and pain. Then suddenly, the sword seemed to be surrounded by a dark energy that was quickly injected into the monster. With that, it seemed as though all life drained out of the Heartless and its body sagged to the ground. Riku pulled his blade back out and leapt away. Sora blinked in shock, not sure of what he had seen.

"Man," Riku chuckled nostalgically, shaking his head. "Where would you be without me?"

"Is it... over?" Sora ventured softly.

"I hope so," Donald muttered, his shoulders drooping in exhaustion. He pulled out an Ether and took a sip. "That was exhausting!"

Goofy leapt into the air with a loud, victorious cheer. "We did it!"

"Not yet," Riku said firmly. "It's still got Pinocchio."

The little wooden puppet looked worriedly at the others. "Get me outta here!"

"Hold on!" Sora called as he jumped to his feet and dashed forward, reaching out to grab the organic bars of Pinocchio's prison. "We'll get you out in no time."

He grunted with the effort as he tried to pry them open and let Pinocchio out. Riku looked as though he were going to help, but before he could even take a single step forward, Donald beat him to it, dashing toward Sora and the parasite cage. But as soon as the duck came within reach, the Heartless began to stir. Sora hadn't noticed, and was still busy trying to save Pinocchio. The court wizard's eyes grew wide.

"Sora! Look out!"

The boy turned slightly and looked over his shoulder. "Huh?"

Donald launched himself forward and grabbed Sora, pulling him away from the parasite Heartless. They tumbled to the ground as the creature moved backward and used its long arms to latch onto the ceiling of the chamber, pulling itself up off the ground. The floor where it had been standing before suddenly opened up and the Heartless swung forward, its cage-like mouth opening and throwing Pinocchio into the newly created hole.

"PINOCCHIO!" Sora cried out.

Riku immediately darted forward, jumping after the puppet into the hole. Sora quickly got to his feet and hurried after them. Donald stared at the hole in shock for a brief moment before turning to Goofy, who seemed to be cheering happily for no apparent reason. The duck groaned and rolled his eyes as he grabbed hold of his friend and followed the boys into the hole.

"Come on!" he quacked.

"Ahyuk!"

* * *

Sora, Donald, and Goofy tumbled out of the tunnel, rolling across the wet, fleshy floor in a tangled mess of limbs. They pulled away from one another quickly and looked around, confused and disoriented. It seemed as though the hole took them back to Monstro's mouth, though none of them could really explain how that could be. The whale had apparently expelled some of the excess water in his mouth as almost all of it was suddenly gone. It was now possible to wade from one side to the other. 

"Pinocchio! Pinocchio!"

Everyone turned to look up at the broken ship, where Geppetto had walked out near the end of the plank and was looking up toward the top of one of the woodpiles. There was a desperate, pleading look on his face.

"Please!" he begged sadly. "Give me back my son!"

The trio followed Geppetto's gaze and saw Riku with an unconscious Pinocchio casually tucked under one arm. He looked back at Geppetto with an apathetic, expressionless face.

"Sorry, old man," he said coldly. "I have some unfinished business with this puppet."

Geppetto looked horrified at the words. "He's no puppet! He's my little boy!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy rose to their feet and approached the scene, their eyes wide in shock. The Keyblade master could feel his mind creeping on the edge of panic. For whatever reason, Riku had changed. Sora felt like everything had been turned upside down and nothing made sense.

Riku snorted softly, adjusting his hold on Pinocchio. "He _is _unusual. Not many puppets have hearts." He glanced meaningfully at his captive. "I'm not sure, but... maybe he can help someone who's lost theirs."

Sora felt his face grow cold. "Wait a minute. Are you talking about Kairi?"

A pair of icy, emerald-colored eyes turned on Sora so quickly that something inside him jumped in fear. Riku glared daggers at him as he spoke, his voice sharp and cold.

"What do _you _care about her?"

The words hit a soft spot. Sora was momentarily stunned. A series of emotions played across his face, ranging from horror to anger, until finally he just looked hurt. _'Of course I care about Kairi!'_ he yelled in his mind. But he couldn't make himself speak. He just stared up at Riku, his blue eyes pleading for him to understand and take back what he said. Both Donald and Goofy glanced at their young charge, their expressions becoming ones of worry upon seeing the pained look on his face.

"Sora...?"

Riku seemed to ignore it and just leapt down from his position atop the wooden pile, darting into another tunnel that had been revealed by the lowered water.

"Riku, wait!" Sora shouted, somewhat panicked.

As he rushed forward to follow him, the Keyblade master tripped and fell clumsily to the lower level. Donald and Goofy jumped forward, their eyes wide with concern.

"Sora!"

"Sora! Are you okay?"

For a moment, Sora just let himself lie in the shallow water thinking about how he _wasn't_ okay. How could he be? He had always admired Riku; he was smarter, stronger, fought better, ran faster, jumped higher, was a better leader... That was why he had wanted to be more like him. But Riku wasn't the same anymore. Now, even though he was still the better warrior, it seemed like he'd fallen from grace.

Sora slowly pulled himself up out of the water so that he was on his knees, ruffling his hair to get the water out. He then glanced back toward his friends and hesitantly showed them a faint, lopsided grin. As the dog and duck let out a relieved breath, Sora cast his eyes down into the water, his grin faded and one hand clenched into a tight fist. He threw a frustrated punch at his distorted reflection. He was just so confused! What he wouldn't give to bring everything back to normal...

Just as he began to withdraw his hands, Sora's fingers brushed against something in the water. His blue eyes went wide as he seemed to hear the trumpet of an elephant coming from somewhere in the distance. Curious, Sora wrapped his fingers around the object and pulled out a gleaming blue stone from the water. The sight of it seemed to tug inistently at his heart and he knew that he simply couldn't leave the stone alone. It had a familiar life-like quality to it that Sora had seen before.

_'A... summon gem...?'_

"Hey, Sora!"

The scratchy, quack-filled voice brought Sora back to reality. He put the stone away and turned around to see Donald and Goofy standing near the entrance to the tunnel that Riku had entered.

"C'mon!" Goofy urged. "We gotta go catch Riku!"

Sora blinked. "H-Huh?"

"He is your bestest buddy after all, right?"

For a moment, Sora was completely stricken by Goofy's words. He could only manage to nod his head dumbly, staring at Donald and Goofy in amazement. "Guys... I'm sorry for dragging you into this. I mean..."

"Gawrsh, Sora," Goofy grinned, extending one hand toward Sora to help him up, "you don't hafta apologize for that. We'll stick with ya through thick an' thin! That's what friends are for, after all!"

"All for one and one for all, remember?" quacked Donald. "So let's get going!"

The Keyblade master could only smile. "Thanks, guys."

Feeling stronger and more confident than ever, Sora grabbed Goofy's hand and got to his feet with a determined look on his face. He was going to get the old Riku - the one he had grown up with and admired and had watched over all of them like an older brother - back, no matter what it took. This he vowed to himself and to Kairi and to everyone, wherever they may be. It was a promise that Sora had every intention of keeping.

The trio hurried along what Sora suspected to be the whale's esophagus, trailing after Riku and hoping that they would catch them in time. Several strange, ghost-like Heartless appeared every so often, only to be blasted by a Fire spell, struck with a shield, and slashed by the Keyblade in a powerful combination. They didn't have time to stop; they had to keep moving forward.

After what seemed like a terribly long distance to run, they made it to the other side and entered a large, dome-like room. The floor was separated from the walls, allowing a rather small, narrow space to walk. Between the walls and floor was a gutter, filled with a bubbling, green fluid that gave off putrid fumes. In several spots on the wall were fleshy platforms of some sort, sticking out toward the center of the room. On the far end of the area on one of the platforms was Pinocchio, sitting slumped on the floor with a glazed look on his face. Riku was standing over him, staring at him as though he were trying to figure out how the wooden boy could move.

Upon seeing them there, Sora balled his hands into his fists and stepped forward. "Hey, let Pinocchio go, Riku."

Riku turned around at the sound of Sora's voice. There was a strange gleam in his green eyes, like he had found the answer to all of their problems. It was the same as the look back on the island, right before they had all been separated. Jiminy carefully emerged from Sora's hood and looked helplessly at the wooden boy.

"Oh, Pinocchio..."

"A puppet that's lost its heart to the Heartless... Maybe it holds the key to helping Kairi," Riku murmured, glancing at his captive out of the corner of his eye. He then turned back to Sora, walking toward him with one hand outstretched. "How about it, Sora? Let's join forces to save her. We can do it, together."

Sora just stared at him, hardly able to believe what he was being asked. He would never sacrifice somebody for someone else, no matter how important. It was just _wrong_. A life was still a life. He didn't know what had happened to Riku, but how could he be thinking that way? Like he had lost all moral grounds? Sora took a deep breath, pulling out the Keyblade and preparing to fight. He'd had just about as much as he could take.

At once, Riku stopped dead in his tracks, taken aback. He looked somewhat hurt, his eyes growing slightly wider. "What? You'd rather _fight me_? Over a puppet that has no heart?"

"Heart or no heart," Sora retorted, narrowing his eyes, "at least _he _still has a conscience."

The hurt look on his face instantly washed away as the silver-haired boy raised an eyebrow. "Conscience?" he echoed, his voice empty.

Jiminy leapt out of Sora's hood to the floor and ran toward his charge, his arms outstretched as though he meant to embrace the boy. Pinocchio slowly rolled his eyes to look at the cricket as he approached, seemingly too weak to do anything else.

"You might not hear it," Sora went on, gripping the Keyblade even tighter, "but right now it's loud and clear. And it's telling me you're on the wrong side!"

There was a pause as they looked at each other, analyzing one another carefully. After a moment, Riku looked at Donald and Goofy, flanking Sora on either side and narrowed his eyes. The dog and duck were slightly confused by the dirty looks they received, exchanging glances with one another as Riku turned his attention back to Sora.

"Then you leave me no choice," he said darkly.

While Sora and Riku faced off, Jiminy finally reached Pinocchio's side, crying his name in desperate fear. The puppet just looked at him through half-shut eyelids and drew in a deep breath. Jiminy released a plaintive wail over his poor condition.

"Pinocchio! _Pinocchio_!"

"Jiminy," he moaned, as though speaking was painful. "I'm not gonna make it."

Suddenly, there was a flash of light. Jiminy's eyes grew wide as he watched Pinocchio's wooden nose gain a few inches in length. Pinocchio also stared at his longer nose in surprise for a moment, not knowing what he had lied about, and then smiled.

"Oh!" he exclaimed cheerily. "I guess I'm okay!"

The cricket had never been happier to find that Pinocchio lied and began to hop up and down in his joy. A lie had saved the puppet's life!

Riku turned slightly to watch the scene with wide eyes, confused and disgruntled. "But... H-His heart... He should have..."

Sora was confused by the shocked tone in Riku's voice. He was about to speak when the doubt suddenly washed out of Riku's face and he looked sharply at Sora, a touch of anger in his expression and his fists clenched at his sides. Donald and Goofy immediately fell into a fighting stance.

"We can do this, Sora!" Donald encouraged him.

The Keyblade master drew in a deep breath, his gaze fixated on Riku's face. He wasn't comfortable with fighting Riku this way, but he had no choice. "Yeah. Let's do this."

Before anyone could even begin, the parasite cage from before dropped into the space between them. The thud made the room shake slightly, some of the bubbly green fluid sloshing up near Goofy's feet. The dog howled in horror when he heard the stuff sizzle.

"That stuff is _acid_!" he shouted.

Donald looked at his friend incredulously. "Acid? Then that means we're in Monstro's stomach!"

Sora made a face. "Oh, _perfect_."

"Pinocchio! Jiminy!" Goofy called. "Quick! Make a run for it!"

On the other side of the room, Pinocchio got to his feet, scooped Jiminy up in his hands, and quickly ran toward the exit. Sora smiled weakly at them as they passed, tightening his hold on the Keyblade.

"Just leave this to us."

The Heartless released a deafening cry as the puppet and his conscience escaped. It slammed its arms into the floor and lifted its body off the ground. It then propelled itself forward and swung violently into the trio, knocking them into the wall. They all groaned as they slid back down to the floor, Donald quacking loudly when his tail feathers almost touched the stomach acid that lined the room. He scrambled back to safety, breathing hard. Then, with a noisy, incoherent yell, Donald cast several Fire spells in rapid succession, aimed straight at the monster's head.

Goofy swallowed hard as he and Sora got back to their feet. They looked at one another, nodding in mutual understanding and charged straight at the Heartless. The parasite cage swung its arms around, striking Donald once again and throwing him back several feet. This only made Donald angrier and he started rapidly firing Blizzard and Thunder in a fit of rage. Sora could have sworn the duck's entire head was turning bright red.

But none of this seemed to be affecting the Heartless at all. If anything, they were only annoying the monster with their attacks. Sora pulled himself up onto a higher platform to avoid getting hit by another of the parasite's lunges, doing so with a tremendous effort. He then rose to his feet and stepped away from the edge, breathing hard. It would have been so much easier to get up there if he could only jump a little higher.

"Man, this thing's tough!" he groaned. "Riku'd probably be able to-"

Riku.

A sense of urgent panic suddenly seared through Sora's mind. His blue eyes went wide and he frantically searched the area for Riku. The silver-haired boy was nowhere to be found, as though he had just vanished into thin air.

"Riku?" Sora yelled, still searching. "Riku!"

"SORA! Look out!"

The Key bearer spun around to look back at Goofy when a thick, murky green cloud of gas engulfed him. He instantly dropped to his knees, his body suddenly weakening. He put a hand over his mouth and nose, coughing heavily. His vision seemed somewhat blurry at the edges and it was difficult to focus. Every movement he made sent shooting pains throughout his limbs. Even when the gas dissipated around him, Sora still felt like he could hardly lift the Keyblade.

_'I-Is this... poison...?'_

Donald suddenly threw himself at the Heartless, leaping up onto the monster's head and pounding on it in a fury, an incoherent stream of what seemed to be curses flying out of his mouth. The Heartless leaned back with the weight, the cage suddenly opening wide to reveal a dark orb inside it. Goofy narrowed his eyes at the orb and quickly dashed forward, hitting it repeatedly with his shield.

"Gawrsh, I think I found a weak spot!" Goofy cheered as he attacked.

Sora struggled to his feet, looking dazedly back at Goofy. "H-Huh?"

"This weird orb thing! Look!"

He turned to see what Goofy was talking about, wincing at the pain that burned in his lungs. As he looked at the orb he knew that Goofy was right, but Sora felt too weak to join him in attacking it. He needed help, but both Donald and Goofy were furiously attacking the Heartless to lend him a hand.

As Sora used the Keyblade to pull himself to his feet, the Genie's lamp brushed against his wrist. At once, it grabbed his attention. He stared at the shrunken lamp that was attached to the Keyblade, feeling a glimmer of hope in his heart. Then, smiling weakly, Sora took the small lamp into one hand and rubbed its surface.

"Give me strength..."

Suddenly, a ring of light rippled out from under his feet and stars flew up from the ground around him. A sudden surge of power lifted Sora to his feet and he raised the Keyblade slightly. He then turned it as though he was unlocking something and the tip immediately began to shine with a bright pink light. Sora pulled the Keyblade back and tossed it into the air, spinning around and glowing brilliantly. He caught it as it came back down to the ground, and the weapon almost immediately began to go out of control. Sora had to grip the handle with both hands as the Keyblade shook violently in his grasp. Flashy pink and white sparks and smoke were shot out of it, making loud popping sounds.

Then, no longer able to keep his grip on it, the Keyblade flew out of Sora's hands. Blue smoke rushed out of the tip, rising into a spiral and growing higher and thicker. A figure started to form within the smoke, yelling loudly and stretching his limbs. As the blue smoke thinned out, the figure was revealed to be Genie, spinning around ostentatiously with a big grin on his face. He moved toward Sora with a hand extended toward him, and Sora, grinning at the blue djinn's antics, eagerly gave him a high-five.

"That will give you such a crick in the neck!" Genie said with a laugh. He then looked around and surveyed his surroundings, making a face as he realized he was in a giant stomach. "Yech... Here's something that doesn't happen to you everyday. So whaddaya need me fo- Sora!"

As Genie turned back to the young boy, a worried look replaced the cheeriness in his face. This wasn't particularly surprising, since the usually energetic Keyblade master was in such a poor condition. Sora was exhausted and drained of energy, having to lean against the wall for support. He managed to grin at Genie, relieving his concern only slightly.

"I'll be okay, Genie," he assured him, though his weakened voice betrayed his words. "But we need your help fighting that thing."

He pointed at the Heartless that Donald and Goofy were still valiantly fighting against. Genie screwed his face up into a serious expression, determined to help them. He rolled up a pair of imaginary sleeves and cracked his knuckles, the tips of his fingers suddenly sparkling with pink light.

"Leave it to me, Sora!" he said with a wink.

Sora smiled, starting to feel a little bit better. He cupped one hand around his mouth and turned to his friends down below. "Donald! Goofy! Get outta the way!"

The king's men both looked up at Sora's call and, seeing Genie suddenly dressed in a hero costume above them, jumped away from the Heartless parasite cage. Genie threw his chest out proudly before unleashing a flurry of every magic spell that he knew on the Heartless. The parasite was suddenly bombarded with fireballs, streams of lightning, beams of ice, and gravitational fields. It even seemed like it was being rapidly transformed into various objects in the midst of Genie's attacks.

Donald and Goofy watched, impressed and excited by the show that Genie was putting on. Goofy even clapped his hands and cheered him on. As Genie reared his arms back for one final blast, Sora mustered up what strength he could and dashed forward. Then, with the Keyblade raised high over his head, he leapt at the Heartless, flipping in mid-air to give him greater lift.

"This may leave a mark!" Genie told the Heartless mockingly, as though it could understand him.

He fired a powerful beam of light at it, engulfing it in a blinding white light. It was so bright that Genie took the liberty of conjuring up a pair of sunglasses for everyone, allowing everyone to see the moment when Sora sliced the Keyblade into the parasite cage's body.

Only then did the bright light dissipate. Sora jumped away from the Heartless, dropping down onto one knee, breathing heavily. Everyone hurried to his side, prepared to pull him away in case the Heartless was still going to fight.

"Did we beat it?" Sora managed to say.

Goofy nodded slowly, though his eyes never left the parasite cage. "I, uh... _think _so."

No one dared to move, watching the parasite cage carefully. After a few moments, it fell backward into a heap on the floor. The Heartless insignia on its body shone brilliantly and a single heart emerged from it, only to float up into the air and disappear. The parasite cage's body began to glow as it tumbled to the floor, and then dissolved into a series of bright purple lights. Only then did the group relax, simultaneously letting out a relieved breath. Sora turned to Genie with a wide grin.

"Thanks, Genie."

Genie grinned back. "Any time, kid. It's no problem at all."

Sora just laughed softly. Genie saluted the trio playfully and bowed low to the ground, bidding them "adieu" and vanishing in a puff of blue smoke. They all looked at one another with broad smiles on their faces, pleased with their victory.

"WAK! What happened to _you_?" Donald quacked, noticing for the first time how sickly Sora looked.

"Uh... I think I got poisoned."

"Why didn't you use Cure on yourself!"

Sora blushed, ashamed of himself. "Oh, yeah! Ehehe... Forgot about that."

Donald shook his head in annoyance and readied his staff, muttering something under his breath. But as he started to cast the spell, there was a sudden great tremor, knocking them off balance. They looked around them, exchanging glances as everything started to shake violently. The confusion slowly gave way to panic. It was almost as though the place was going to collapse.

"Run!" Donald yelled, waving his staff in the air.

Everyone then hurried back out the way they came. Sora hesitated before following, looking around with a worried look on his face.

"Riku!" he called again, praying for an answer this time. "Riku, where are you?"

But the only response was the thunderous rumbling of Monstro's innards. Sora cast around one last time, overwhelmed by desperation and panic. His best friend had just plain vanished. And Sora had no idea whether or not he was alright.

* * *

He stared down at the young girl lying unconscious on the red couch. Everything about her was lifeless. The color of her skin was paler than it had ever been, making the fiery crimson of her hair stand out even more than usual. She never moved. Her eyes weren't even moving behind her shut eyelids. Nothing anyone did could evoke a response from her. The only thing that assured him that she was still alive was the slow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out. That and the strangely peaceful, content expression on her face. 

The sadness in his being weighed even heavier as he watched her, desperate and confused to restore her to the way she once was. He wanted to see her sea-colored eyes looking back at him, sparkling with life and happiness. To see her smile again. Eventually, he tore his eyes away, shutting them as though it was painful to look at her in such a state.

"So," he choked out, addressing the dark figure that had appeared behind him, "Kairi's like a lifeless puppet now?"

"Precisely."

Maleficent had a small, wicked smile on her face as she watched Riku, approaching him in slow, graceful strides. He didn't notice. He wasn't looking at her. He could have cared less about Maleficent, but she was the only one who seemed to know anything. The silver-haired boy drew in a shuddering breath as he once again tried to digest what he had been told about Kairi's current state.

"And her heart was..."

He hoped beyond hope that Maleficent wasn't going to say what he dreaded to hear. He didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true.

"Taken by the Heartless, no doubt," she answered him calmly.

It just couldn't be. Kairi's heart was stronger than that. Riku immediately spun around to look at the dark fairy.

"Tell me!" he pleaded, eager and desperate for a shred of hope. "What can I do?"

The pleased, knowing look in Maleficent's eyes as she looked down at Riku went unnoticed. Her smile darkened ever so slightly.

"There are seven maidens of the purest heart," she told him, turning her dead stare on Kairi. "We call them the Princesses of Heart. Gather them together, and a door will open to the heart of all worlds. Within lies untold wisdom." The smile slowly cracked across Maleficent's face as she gazed meaningfully at Riku. "There you will surely find a way to recover Kairi's heart."

He lowered his gaze to the floor as he absorbed the information. A way to recover Kairi's heart. It was all that mattered now. He had already lost Sora, his best friend, to the power of that Keyblade and those newfound friends of his. He couldn't lose Kairi. He _wouldn't_. And Riku would do anything - _anything _- to bring her back.

_'Gather the Princesses of Heart. Sounds easy enough.'_

"Now," Maleficent continued, "I'll grant you a _marvelous _gift."

A confused look appeared on Riku's face as he turned to look at Maleficent again. Suddenly, everything seemed to darken and the dark fairy's eyes glowed bright green. Something about it felt wrong, evil somehow, but...

"_The power to control the Heartless_."

It didn't matter anymore.

A green glow suddenly encompassed Riku's body. It was a strange, cold feeling that shocked him at first. But the cold eventually dissipated, as though his body had gone numb and could no longer feel it. Riku could feel the energy being absorbed into his body and the most incredible, mind-blowing power surged through his being. The glow eventually faded, but Riku could still feel the energy coursing within him. He felt powerful and invulnerable. There was no force in the universe that would be able to stop him now.

Not even Sora.

_Especially _not Sora.

He turned to look back at Kairi, still lying unconscious on the red silk cushions. A dangerous gleam could be seen in his emerald-colored eyes. They seemed to glow as he looked at her, an unearthly power lying dormant inside him.

"Soon, Kairi. Soon."

* * *

**Author's Note: **ooooh... pum pum puhh, oh the Riku insight. XD**  
**

argh, once again, many apologies... the writer's block for this story has been intense, but i'm still pushing onward. anyways... i had to rearrange some stuff of Monstro's, since... i mean, honestly, how on earth can his throat be above all those bowel things, leading _up_ to his stomach? i mean, why on earth would his stomach be like, right next to his brain? gameplay reasons, i guess, wanting you to mess around with the High Jump ability (if you spotted it here in the story, props to you)... but storywise, it was just weird, so i tried to rebuild Monstro's insides so he's more like an actual whale...

important things of note in this chapter: Riku. as if you couldn't already guess that. it opens and closes with him, after all. :P i put up Riku's last part here on LJ before, mere moments after writing it because i was feeling quite proud of the way it turned out, so if it looks familiar, that's probably why. but it is mine, i honestly did write it, i can promise you that, so don't go accusing me of plagiarism!

and in case no one has noticed, i'm very very VERY_anti-plagiarism_, ever since the first time i saw my story copied word for word somewhere else. that was an extremely frustrating time. so in case nobody goes to look at my profile, i'd appreciate it if you notified me and got my permission before using this story for anything. please, just let me know so i don't throw a fit when i find out like, a year later.

that said, thanks for reading! and _please _be an angel and leave a review!! i feel like this story hasn't been getting a whole lotta love lately...


	25. When You Wish Upon A Star

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_**by hikaranko**_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga (from which I borrowed stuff).

**Author's Note: **_(bows several more times in sincere apology) _consistently slow updates is bad, i know, but it's just been so difficult... maybe when CSAG is completed i'll start speeding up again. --;; hopefully... man, i feel so terrible. i'm so appalled that this story still isn't finished. i guess that'll be my New Year's resolution for 2007: try to at least reach Neverland before 2008.

at any rate, i hope people enjoyed their New Year! i sure did, i just wish i didn't have to go right back to school... _(cries)_ oh, back on track. here's chapter 24! enjoy!

* * *

_**Chapter 24**_**  
When You Wish Upon a Star**

_Monstro_

Sora stared, his eyes as wide as saucers, at the strange scene before him. For whatever reason, Monstro's mouth was filled with thick, black smoke. As everyone gazed around, they realized the source of the billowing black smoke was a large bonfire going on the deck of Geppetto's ship. Geppetto and Pinocchio pushed a crude raft made up of various Gummi blocks toward the front of Monstro's mouth. It had a blanket for a sail and on the front was what looked like a small room, also made of Gummi blocks, with a goldfish bowl and a small black and white cat sitting inside of it.

_'A raft?'_

"What's going on?" Donald cried out, just as shocked.

"It won't work," said Geppetto worriedly to his wooden son. "We'll never get by those teeth!"

"Yes, we will!" Pinocchio assured him.

Donald and Goofy exchanged confused glances as the small boy puppet and his father began to paddle through the water furiously, heading for Monstro's opening mouth. Sora couldn't keep his eyes off the raft, unable to ignore the pangs of familiarity in his heart. His mind kept flashing back to a peaceful summer setting, where three kids had built a similar raft to set out on an adventure. The memory felt distant, like it had happened years before to someone else. It seemed impossible to believe that those three kids were Sora, Riku, and Kairi, not very long ago.

Goofy seemed somewhat worried as he looked at Pinocchio and Geppetto. "Ya think they're tryin' ta get out?"

_'Get out?'_ Sora thought. _'No, we just wanted to see...'_

"That's right!"

The Keyblade master was torn from his thoughts when Jiminy suddenly hopped up onto his shoulder, panting hard as though he was in a great hurry. He used his umbrella to point at the large fire that was still raging on the ship's deck.

"Pinocchio came up with a way for everyone to escape," he explained quickly. "They built that huge fire so that the smoke would make Monstro sneeze."

"Make him sneeze?" Goofy echoed. "Gawrsh, won't that just make him _mad_?"

"That's what Geppetto said," Jiminy told them with a shrug. "But it seems like the only way."

As though on cue, Monstro's teeth parted slightly, opening up and allowing a sudden rush of air to enter his mouth. It was more like a powerful wind and would have knocked everyone off their feet if they hadn't braced themselves for it.

"Gawrsh! Looks like it's workin'!"

Jiminy grabbed hold of his top hat so it wouldn't fly away and pointed his umbrella toward the Gummi ship. "Chip and Dale are all through with the repairs and even prepared the ship for take off. We're just waiting for you three."

Sora nodded firmly. "I'm game. Guys?"

He looked back at the others expectantly. Donald scratched his head in frustration and then ran toward the Gummi Ship. "This is crazy!"

"Well, we've gotta go for it," reasoned Goofy as he followed his friend.

Sora grinned and ran after them as well, scrambling toward the Gummi Ship with Jiminy back in his hood, though it was difficult to move forward because of Monstro's sharp, powerful intakes of breath. Various items fluttered about in the air; books, papers, and strips of splintered wood. One sheet of paper hit Sora right in the face, which he quickly removed. He was just about to throw it back to the wind when he felt a pang in his chest. He paused momentarily to look at the paper, turning it over several times. Then, for some reason that he didn't quite understand, he stuffed the sheet into his back pocket and kept running.

"Sora!"

He slowed suddenly in his tracks and turned to face Pinocchio and Geppetto. They were both smiling up at him as they shoved their raft into position, preparing for departure.

"Thank you so much, Sora," the elderly man called, "for everything."

The Key bearer grinned. "No problem!"

"Get in here, Sora!" cried Donald from the Gummi ship entrance. "Hurry!"

As Donald stamped his foot, Sora quickly waved goodbye to Pinocchio and Geppetto. He stepped inside the ship and just as the airlock began to close, he saw Pinocchio cup his hands around his mouth and shout. "We'll meet again, right, Sora?"

Sora could hardly help but smile. "Yeah, of course! Take care!"

Pinocchio's smile grew and he shouted something else, but by then the airlock had been sealed shut. Sora then hurried into the cockpit and jumped into the driver's seat, strapping himself in. He forced himself to focus on the opening of Monstro's mouth, waiting for it to be just wide enough to let the ship through. The ship's engines were roaring in his ears and he could just make out Pinocchio and Geppetto's raft from the corner of his eye. Sora prepared himself, one hand hovering over the launch button. It was almost time. Just a little bit wider, and they could jet away from the giant whale.

Jiminy looked around at the company in the cockpit, mildly confused.

"Say, Sora... Where's your friend, Riku?"

His throat tightened. For a brief moment, Sora felt like he couldn't breathe. "He-"

"SORA!"

Suddenly, Monstro let loose his mighty sneeze, sending both the Gummi ship and the raft hurtling through interspace. The ship's machines were disoriented by the force and Chip and Dale worked frantically to keep everything in order. On Donald's signal, Sora slammed his hand down on the turbo button to propel them forward, taking them as far away from the giant whale as possible. Jiminy prayed that Monstro wouldn't try to follow and attack them. It was a while longer before the ship stabilized and they were flying peacefully through space as though nothing had happened.

"We made it," sighed Sora, relieved.

"I sure hope Pinocchio and Geppetto are okay," murmured Goofy, looking out the window for any sign of them and their raft.

"Yeah," Donald agreed, doing the same on the other side of the ship. "Hopefully they landed safely somewhere."

The smile on Sora's face slowly faded as his mind began to drift again. Vivid images of the rumbling stomach kept flashing through his mind, and he tried desperately to remember if he had somehow overlooked something.

"Riku..."

Although his voice had been barely over a whisper, everyone turned to look at Sora. The sadness and confusion was apparent on Sora's face and, upon seeing it, they all fell silent. Donald and Goofy exchanged concerned looks, sighing empathetically. Jiminy was confused, looking at Donald and Goofy as though expecting them to explain what had happened, but neither of them said a word. It wasn't long before Goofy turned back to Sora with a smile on his face.

"Don't worry, Sora!" he said, trying to cheer him up. "I'm sure Riku's okay somewhere. Yer gonna meet him again, you'll see!"

"Yeah!" Donald added with a nod. "He's a tough guy, so he'll be fine!"

Sora turned back to his friends. As he looked at their silly faces, he couldn't help but smile at them. "You're right," he said with a boyish grin. "There's no way he would let something like getting swallowed by a monstrous whale hold him back."

As the grin returned to Sora's face, everyone relaxed. The trio began to joke about the peril that they had just barely escaped, laughing as though it had happened to someone else and not them. Sora redirected the route of the Gummi ship to Traverse Town, where they had been trying to go before they were swallowed, and Donald continued to teach him how to properly drive the ship. Jiminy fervently wrote in his journal the whole time, a proud smile on his face. He had high hopes for both Pinocchio and Sora. He was sure that they would both grow to become the bravest, most loyal, and most unselfish boys the worlds would ever see.

* * *

_Traverse Town_

Once they had landed safely back in Traverse Town, the trio bee-lined for Merlin's place. The issue of Sora and Donald's bet had come up in the conversation they had in the Gummi ship on the way back. Maybe it was just his own competitive nature, but Sora was determined to win it and prove to Donald that he'd improved.

As they entered his study, Merlin was sitting in his large chair and having a loud, rather heated discussion with someone that none of them could see. When he spotted Sora and the others enter, he leapt to his feet with a triumphant cry.

"I _told_ you they would be arriving!" he bellowed. "I _knew_ the boy would be coming soon!"

"Boy? _Boy_?" cried a stubborn-sounding voice. "_I_ don't see any boy!"

Sora was immediately confused. He turned to Donald and Goofy. "Who's he talking to?"

Donald just shook his head and Goofy shrugged his shoulders helplessly with a soft "Ahyuk." Then all three of them immediately began to look around the room, searching for whom Merlin was talking to. The only person they could think of was the Fairy Godmother, but that voice couldn't belong to her. It was too brash and hollow-sounding, and Sora was pretty sure that it was a male.

Merlin didn't pay any mind to the confused expressions on their faces. The annoyed frown on his face dissolved into a genuine smile as he rose from his chair and approached Sora.

"Ah, right on the dot!"

The trio continued to search the room. Sora didn't see much of anything that was different from the last time he'd been in Merlin's study. The only changes that had been made (as far as Sora could tell) was a small birdhouse hanging from the ceiling over the table and a few bird perches scattered around the room. But he didn't see any birds anywhere.

"Now then, Sora. You've come here looking to practice your magic, have you?"

The young Keyblade master spun back around to look at Merlin, blinking. "Oh, uh, yeah."

"Sure has!" laughed Goofy.

"He thinks he's as good as me!" Donald exclaimed, as though it were an insult. Sora shot him an annoyed look.

"Oh really?" Merlin raised his eyebrows in surprise as he put his hands on Sora's shoulders, looking him up and down. "Then let me take a look at you. Hmm... It seems like you have been getting better, Sora."

Sora's chest swelled with pride at the compliment and he glanced smugly at Donald. The duck just rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest with a disbelieving grunt.

"Pinfeathers!" someone cried. "Just a mere boy and-"

The old wizard shifted his gaze so that he was looking at someone who was apparently behind Sora. "Now, Archimedes, that's no way to behave. Age has nothing to do with skill and talent, and Sora happens to show a great deal of promise-"

"What-Who-When-What-Who?!" blubbered the one called Archimedes. "Skill and talent?! Shows promise, you say?!"

Merlin was clearly losing his patience. "_Archimedes_," he said in a scolding voice.

"I'll admit to such boulder dash when I see it!"

By now, Sora was also getting upset. He didn't like having people looking down on him - after all, he felt he deserved a little more respect after everything he had accomplished by now. Screwing up his face into a frown and clenching his fists at his sides, Sora spun around to face his insulter.

"Hey, I-"

He stopped short when he realized that he had come face to face with a small brown owl. It was looking at him with its chest puffed out and its feathers ruffled. Unless Sora was wrong, it seemed like the owl was staring at him with contempt in its large yellow eyes. He blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Where'd this stuffed owl come from?" Donald demanded, just as confused.

All at once, the owl sprang to life, its feathers getting even more ruffled as it turned its contemptuous gaze on Donald. "Hoo hoo, _stuffed_?!"

Both Donald and Sora jumped in surprise. "It's alive!"

"And it _talks_!" Donald added.

The owl glared at them, clearly insulted. "Yes! And a great deal better than _you_, I see!" Donald's face twisted with rage. "_I _am a _highly educated _owl!"

Goofy tilted his head to the side with an amazed smile on his face. "Gawrsh, impressive! Ahyuk!" He then looked thoughtful, scratching his head. "Uhh... what does that mean?"

At once the owl looked even more insulted, stammering in horror at a loss for words. Merlin rolled his eyes, waving the owl off and guiding Sora toward the center of the room. "Yes, yes, Archimedes, we _know_."

Ruffling his feathers even more, Archimedes flew to a different perch, this time closer to the table. He pointed one wing indignantly toward Sora and the others. "_They _clearly don't!"

"Gawrsh! We're real sorry!" Goofy stammered.

Archimedes muttered something as he fluttered up to the birdhouse and ducked into it. What seemed like a long stream of annoyed insults was spouting endlessly from his beak as he did so. Sora looked over at Donald and Goofy, half-expecting them to help him out. They just looked back at him, a very confused expression on Goofy's face and an annoyed one on Donald's.

"Oh, come now, Archimedes," Merlin snapped, waving one hand dismissively. "They didn't mean any harm."

The owl just grunted in response as the small door of his bird house slammed shut. Merlin shook his head as he pulled out his staff, sighing deeply. Goofy looked worriedly at the bird house.

"Gawrsh, w-we didn't mean to..."

"You'll have to excuse him," said Merlin. "He's just a little sensitive, that's all."

The door to the birdhouse opened at once and Archimedes' head emerged from it. "Who who? What what?"

The old wizard simply ignored him. He pointed his staff at a spot on the ceiling and gave it a quick swish in the air. A diamond shaped portion of the ceiling drifted downward until it was level with the table. "Now then, to practice your magic."

"Practice his magic?"

Archimedes suddenly hopped back out of his house and flew over to Merlin, perching himself near the tip of his long blue hat. Merlin frowned at the owl.

"What is it _now_?"

"I'd like to see this so-called Keyblade master at work!" the owl snapped. "I don't believe what you say for a second, you blockhead!"

Sora's face twisted in annoyance and he frowned at Donald, but he didn't seem to notice. Merlin rolled his eyes and quickly ushered the trio on top of the diamond-shaped platform he had created. They obeyed and, with another flick of his staff, Merlin raised the platform back up into the ceiling. Within moments, they emerged in the middle of what Sora assumed was Merlin's attic. It was a large empty space with colorful, almost festive flooring. The trio gaped; no one would ever have guessed how much room was inside by looking on the outside.

"Now then," Merlin said, clearing his throat, "how would you like to begin?"

While Donald and Goofy continued to gawk at the vastness of the room, Sora turned back to Merlin with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"What do you _think _he means, boy?" Archimedes scoffed. "Use your brains for a moment!"

Sora frowned. Donald smirked.

"Oh, don't be so rude, Archimedes." Merlin jabbed at the owl with the tip of staff before turning back to Sora. "Your practice session, of course." He chuckled at Sora's confused face. "You see, I can conjure up any number of targets for you to practice your magic on. Now, the question is whether or not you'd want them to move around the room or merely stand still."

Before Sora could ask for moving targets, Donald intervened. "Take it easy on him, Merlin," he quacked, giving the Keyblade master an arrogant smirk. "He's still just a rookie."

"HEY!"

Merlin only laughed. "Alright then, we'll start with stationary targets."

Sora frowned, folding his arms over his chest and shooting Donald an annoyed look. With a flick of his staff, Merlin conjured up several tables, wardrobes, and tea sets, all of which now hovered a few feet over the ground. The old wizard nodded at his handiwork in approval before turning back to Sora.

"Any time you're ready, boy."

"Let's see the boy's so-called 'skill and talent,'" muttered Archimedes. He then focused on Sora, puffing out his chest. "Don't hurt yourself."

"I _won't_," Sora retorted. He pulled out the Keyblade and stepped forward, looking with determination at the floating furniture, and then glanced back at Donald. "Remember our bet. I prove that I've gotten better, I get to drive the ship."

"Yeah. But if not," the duck added, "hands off 'til _I _say so!"

"Right."

And with that, Sora turned back to the floating furniture. He took the handle of the Keyblade in both hands and focused his heart, calling to mind all the spells that he had learned since the beginning of this quest. Donald crossed his arms, a smug look on his face. Sora didn't pay him any mind and quickly launched into his attack, unleashing as many spells as he could on the "opponents" that hovered before him.

Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully as he watched. "What's this about a bet?" he asked, leaning slightly toward Goofy.

Goofy just laughed. "Donald and Sora kinda got into an argument a while ago. Somethin' about what Sora's been learnin' lately... Gawrsh, I'm not too sure how it started, but they decided to settle it with a bet."

The wizard smiled slightly and shook his head. He was about to offer Donald some advice about the importance of controlling one's temper when Sora came running back up to him with an excited look on his face, eagerly bouncing on his heels.

"Well?" he prompted Merlin, unable to contain himself. "I've gotten better, right?"

"You certainly have, Sora! I'm rather impressed with how much you've learned and improved. You're making excellent progress."

Sora's blue eyes grew wide in excitement. "Really? You mean it?" When Merlin smiled and nodded, he rounded triumphantly on Donald. "HAH! I _told _you!"

Donald just muttered something under his breath. Archimedes ruffled his feathers, rambling incoherently about cocky little boys. Sora then asked Merlin to let the furniture fly around the room and tried practicing on them, but soon found that it wasn't quite as easy as he thought. At once Donald let out a victorious cheer. However, this meant that neither one of them had really won the bet. Though Sora did show them that he'd gotten better, he hadn't improved enough.

"So I guess we're still tied," Sora announced with a grin, putting his arms over his head. "I think the score's two each now."

"Gawrsh!" exclaimed Goofy, scratching his head. "Were you fellas keepin' score?"

"Stop that!" Donald bellowed, stomping one foot on the floor.

Merlin then brought everyone back to the study, offering them all advice on how best to proceed on their journey. It wasn't long before he and Archimedes found themselves in another heated discussion about how dependable the trio could be, which Donald promptly joined. While Goofy just stared at them all, wide-eyed and unsure of what he should do, Sora's attention had drifted elsewhere.

He'd been feeling a strange, insistent tugging in his heart for a while now. He couldn't tell where it was coming from at first, but as he looked around Merlin's study he managed to pinpoint its source. Sora found himself fixated on the amber-colored book that Cid had asked them to deliver to Merlin, lying face up on a small end table next to the bed. He approached it slowly, carefully, curious as to why his heart felt so drawn to it. Without thinking, Sora slowly pulled out two torn sheets of paper that he had picked up from the other worlds. For some reason he knew that they belonged in the book. He reached forward, absent-mindedly fingering the small, golden lock, staring at the empty, white space on the cover. Something was meant to be there. He knew that, too. Sora could feel it somehow.

What sort of book was this, anyway? Sora couldn't fight his curiosity. He slowly opened the book, taking the torn pages in his hands and drawing them closer. As he did so, wondering exactly where the pages belonged, he was blinded by a brilliant flash of light.

"That's enough arguin' fellas," Goofy told the others for the thousandth time. "We need to get goin' and finish sealin' the Keyholes!"

Donald looked over at Goofy and backed away from Merlin and Archimedes at last. "Okay then, let's go." He shot one last glare at the owl. "We've got a very important job to do, so we don't have time to argue with 'highly educated' owls."

Archimedes puffed up his chest in irritation. "Who who? What what?!"

Merlin jabbed Archimedes in the chest with his staff. "Let it go, Archimedes, let it _go_. We've kept them long enough."

The court wizard smirked as he and Goofy turned away, starting for the door. "C'mon, Sora. Let's get outta here."

No response. Donald and Goofy immediately halted, turning back around to face the study. Even Merlin and Archimedes seemed confused, searching the small, cramped room for signs of Sora. But there was no trace of him anywhere. The only thing that seemed out of place was an amber-colored book on the table, now lying open, and its pages flipping in an unseen wind.

"Sora? Sora!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** this is a really short chapter, i know... probably one of the shortest ones on record, but... well, it couldn't be helped. so anyways... included Archimedes in this second visit. i seem to recall someone asking if i was going to include him (eons and eons ago, that was... wow) and i have finally worked that in. hooray! erm... apart from that, this is really just... such a transition chapter. sorry 'bout that, everybody. i curse the Watcher at the Gates. i curse writer's block. i curse it to hell it back. 

well, here's hopin' life improves for this fic. i've made a vow to finish this story, and i have every intention of keeping it.


	26. The Enchanted Neighborhood

**Kingdom Hearts**  
**_by hikaranko_**

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga and their translators, both the official ones and the ones over at Aku-Tenshi (I borrowed some stuff from them).

**Author's Message**: hmm... I think one month isn't too bad a wait. and since my writer's block is slowly starting to dissipate, I think I can manage that! hooray! XD but anyways, I'd like to thank my loyal readers and reviews who have been so wonderfully patient with me. feel free to nag me for updates as you see fit. it could very well be one of the only ways I'll get anything done. XD

okay, I think I've kept you all waiting long enough. here's the next chapter!

* * *

**_Chapter 25_**  
**The Enchanted Neighborhood**

He wasn't sure what had happened, but Sora did know for a fact that he was no longer in Merlin's study. He was suddenly standing in some sort of grassy clearing in the middle of what looked like a small forest. There were several small trees and bushes surrounding the area and even more could be seen in the distance. But much of what lay beyond the clearing seemed to be covered in a light haze.

In the middle of the clearing was a single wooden log, lying on its side. Sitting on top of it with a thoughtful expression on his face was a bear with golden fur wearing a small red shirt. The bear looked rounded and huggable, like a doll, but he was clearly thinking about something important. He had one paw touching his forehead, tapping it repeatedly as though trying to jar his memory.

"Think, think," the bear murmured. "Think, think."

Sora tilted his head to one side as he looked at the bear, a little confused. He couldn't help but wonder what he was having such a hard time thinking about and, deciding he would find out, approached him. He didn't seem to notice Sora, still tapping the side of his head and murmuring softly to himself.

"Hi there," greeted Sora with a friendly wave. "What's wrong?"

The bear still didn't look up. "Nothing," he said airily. "Just... thinking."

"Oh." Sora had to admit he was a little disappointed.

"I was just thinking of how to say goodbye to Pooh."

Sora raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Pooh?" Who was that?

The bear dropped his arms and looked at Sora for the first time. "Yes?" he answered.

Now Sora was even _more _confused. Had the bear just responded to that name? His eyebrows came together as he studied the bear's face. He stepped closer to the log that the bear was sitting on and pulled himself up, seating himself next to the golden bear.

"Wait a second. _You're _Pooh?"

The bear smiled pleasantly. "Yes, I'm Winnie-the-Pooh. Pooh for short. Who are you?"

Though he was still confused, Sora couldn't help but take a quick liking to the absent-minded bear. He gave him a friendly smile. "I'm Sora."

"Oh. Hello, Sora." Suddenly Pooh's smile faded. "Have you come to say goodbye to Pooh, too?"

"Well, no," he said, shaking his head. "Why would I do that? We've only just met."

Pooh turned away sadly, looking up into the sky. "Because everyone's gone away."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we all lived here," the bear said, a rather dreamy look on his face as he spoke, "in the Hundred Acre Wood. And we'd take walks together... or play Pooh sticks... And everyday, I'd eat some honey." Here he smacked his lips together and rubbed his round belly. "Just one small smackeral would taste very good right now." Then he sighed again. "But now everyone's gone. All my friends, and my favorite Hunny Tree, too. Everyone must have gone away while I was napping... I think..."

Even though Winnie-the-Pooh had just explained his situation, Sora was still lost. He stared at the grass as he tried to piece everything together in his head. All of the bear's friends had suddenly disappeared. Not only his friends, but even places and things had vanished. Did that have anything to do with the white haze that seemed to surround them?

Pooh then slipped down from the log with a heavy sigh. "So, who knows? Maybe I shall end up going away somewhere as well. But I wonder, how do I say goodbye to myself?" He tapped the side of his head. "Think, think, think."

Sora remained silent. Part of him was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on and what had happened to him, and another part of him also wondered how one said goodbye to oneself. Pooh sighed again, rubbing his stomach.

"Oh, my tumbly is getting rather rumbly," he said plaintively, and then began to walk away.

For a moment Sora watched him leave, arguing with himself over whether or not he should follow the bear. He then jumped off the log and ran toward where Pooh had gone. Strangely enough, as he continued to follow him, he came across a hazy bar of white. On the other side of the blank space, Sora could see a different setting: the interior of a small, simple house.

Confused, Sora looked around him. He discovered that when he stood near the white haze, he could see more than just his surroundings. Directly above and below him was the same white haze, only within that haze he could see words. Sora could have laughed. He was inside the book!

Oddly enough, he found that thought comforting. At least he now knew where he was. He decided against crossing the page and entering the house uninvited and remained where he was, watching the scene on the other page. Sitting on top of a floor rug in the middle of the room was Winnie-the-Pooh with a large pot labeled "hunny" (which Sora correctly assumed was meant to be "honey") in his hands. He was scooping out the contents with his bare hands and stuffing it all cheerily into his mouth. Until, of course, he ran out. He then peered sadly into the empty honey pot.

"Oh, bother. There's no more honey left." He put the pot down and sighed dreamily. "If only the Hunny Tree would visit... Then I could eat my fill."

The bear got to his feet and headed out the front door of what was evidently his house. Before Sora could move to follow him, he heard a loud ruffling sound from behind him. He turned around just in time to see a large brown owl flutter down to perch on top of a rock nearby. The owl seemed to smile at him as he landed, neatly folding his wings.

"Let me guess," he said in a dignified sounding voice. "You'd like to know what happens next."

Unable to make himself do much of anything else, Sora just nodded. He couldn't help but wonder where all these talking owls were coming from. The owl nodded as well and cleared his throat.

"Unfortunately, some of the pages are missing, so I can't tell you yet," he said. "The pages are scattered over many worlds."

Sora blinked. "Missing pages?" The owl nodded again. "You mean like these?"

He then reached back and pulled out the two torn sheets of paper. The owl's eyes grew wide in astonishment, but before he could say anything there was a flash of bright light. A powerful gust of wind billowed into Sora's face and he realized that the pages of the book were being flipped through. Eventually, the wind died down and Sora found himself in another area, standing near a tall tree. It had many thick branches and its trunk had several large hollows. Dangling from several of the branches were large, round beehives with several bees hovering protectively near them. As Sora examined it from top to bottom, he smiled.

"This must be the Hunny Tree that Pooh was talking about," he murmured.

Deciding that he would do Pooh a favor and get some honey for him, Sora walked toward the base of the tree. But as he approached a hollow log that was lying a few feet away, he heard a small, timid voice calling out.

"Hello, i-is anyone there?"

At once Sora stopped walking and looked around, in search of the voice's owner. Suddenly, something emerged from within the hollow log. It was a tiny pink piglet, not much taller than Sora's ankle. The timid creature wrung his hands and shuffled his feet worriedly.

"Wh-Wh-What am I to do?" he stammered. "I'm all alone." He looked up at the Hunny Tree, an almost hopeful look on his face. "Pooh? Pooh? Where are you? It's me, Piglet."

Sora smiled wistfully and approached Piglet quietly from behind. As his shadow fell over Piglet's tiny frame, Piglet turned around. He gave a start at the sight of Sora looming over him and immediately ran toward the base of the Hunny Tree.

"H-Hey!" Sora called, somewhat startled. "Wait a second! I..."

He trailed off as Piglet disappeared around the other side of the tree trunk. He frowned. He wasn't _that _scary... was he? He'd never had someone run away from him in terror before. After a moment he saw Piglet's head poke out from behind a bush growing at the base of the tree. He just peered over at Sora, clearly shaken, then concealed himself within the bush again. Sora drew in a deep breath and tried to approach Piglet several times more, but every time he got close the timid creature would hide.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," he insisted, but Piglet didn't seem to hear him. Sora was starting to think that it was going to be impossible to talk to him when he was suddenly hit with an idea. He grinned to himself and started to walk off. But instead of leaving, he snuck quietly around the other side of the tree to catch Piglet from behind.

The moment that Sora disappeared from sight, Piglet crept quietly out of his hiding place. He took several cautious steps forward, looking out over the area to see if it was safe. Sora stepped lightly over the grass, approaching Piglet. By the time Piglet noticed Sora behind him, it was too late for him to scurry back into the bush; Sora was standing in the way. The small animal wrung his hands as he scurried around in a small circle.

"Oh dear! I was j-just... N-Never mind. I'm sorry!"

Sora smiled and slowly knelt down to Piglet's level. "Don't be scared. You're looking for Pooh, right?"

Piglet's eyes seemed to grow wide, though it was hard to tell since they were dark, button-like circles. "You know Pooh?"

Sora's smile grew as he nodded. Piglet instantly relaxed. He stopped fidgeting altogether and took a deep breath. When he looked back up at Sora, he was smiling ever so slightly.

"Oh, y-you see," he began, stuttering, "I-I have something for him... I have to take it to Pooh right away!"

Before Sora could respond, he heard a pleasant humming coming from the distance. Both he and Piglet turned to see who it was and saw none other than Winnie-the-Pooh walking toward them. There was lightness to his step and he hummed cheerfully to himself as he walked. Piglet's face lit up at the sight of him and he hopped into the air, waving.

"Oh, Pooh!" Piglet then dashed toward the bear as fast as his little legs would take him.

Pooh came to a stop near the base of the tree and smiled up at the sight of it. He sniffed at the air and at once, his smile grew.

"Oh, I believe I smell a delicious something," he said excitedly to himself. "A something like honey!"

"Pooh!"

The bear turned to face Piglet as he ran up, stumbling slightly. He waved. "Hello, Piglet. How have you been?"

"Oh, I-I'm so glad to see you," said Piglet. "I thought you'd gone away. I brought wh-what you asked for."

He giggled slightly and hurried back to the log he'd been hiding in. He reached inside and (with some effort) pulled out a large blue balloon, which he then carried back to where Pooh stood. Winnie-the-Pooh beamed as he took the balloon's string into his hands.

"Thank you, Piglet." He then looked back up at the Hunny Tree. "Now I can finally have some honey."

Piglet looked surprised. "Really? B-But how?"

"I shall hold on to the balloon, and fly like a bee," he said matter-of-factly, pointing upward, "up the Hunny Tree, see."

"But, if you take their honey, won't the bees be angry?"

"Hmm..." Pooh frowned slightly, tilting his head to one side. He then caught sight of Sora, who had been standing nearby the whole time. "Oh! Sora, might I ask of you a favor?"

Sora blinked. His eyebrows coming together in confusion, Sora slowly approached Pooh and Piglet.

"Piglet," said Pooh, "this is my new friend, Sora. Sora, this is my very dear friend, Piglet."

"Hi there!"

"It's v-very good to m-meet you!"

The boy could only smile. "Same here. So, Pooh... What do you need me for?"

"Oh yes!" exclaimed Pooh brightly. He turned back to Sora. "I was just thinking, you see... Would you help me get some honey?"

Sora thought for a moment, wondering whether or not it would be a good idea to help Pooh get some honey. But as he looked at the hopeful expression on Pooh's face, he knew there was no way he could refuse. There was just something so innocent and lovable about the tubby old bear that made it impossible. So Sora just smiled and casually shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure! But... What do I do?"

Pooh Bear put one paw to the side of his head thoughtfully for a moment. Then, wordlessly handing the blue balloon over to Sora, he walked toward a small pond behind the tree. They watched as he sat down and began to roll around in a thick patch of mud until he was completely covered in it. He then got up and went back to his friends, a proud smile on his mud-covered face.

"There, now. Isn't this a clever disguise?"

Piglet and Sora exchanged glances. "Um... What are you supposed to be?"

"A little black rain cloud, of course."

At first, they were still a little confused, but once they understood what he meant, they couldn't help but smile. Sora laughed good-naturedly. "Silly old bear!"

The reason for Sora's laughter was lost on Pooh, so he just looked up at the tree. Sora took the balloon and started to blow more air into it; if Pooh needed to float, the balloon would have to be bigger. So he blew into it until it was as big as possible and then retied it. Pooh then reached over and held onto the string, glancing back up into the tree once more. Sora lifted the balloon and Pooh with it, then also looked up into the tree, aiming for the highest beehive.

"Careful, Pooh. Hold on tight!"

"Yes."

Then, on Piglet's count, Sora released Pooh into the air and he floated gracefully up into the sky. When he was almost level with the top of the tree, he stopped moving upward and merely hovered in place. Piglet jumped excitedly into the air.

"Hooray!"

"Alright, Pooh!"

Neither one of Pooh's friends were quite as excited as Pooh, who was feeling so cheerful and accomplished that he began to sing.

_Oh, I'm just a little black rain cloud  
Hovering under the honey tree,  
I'm only a little black rain cloud,  
Pay no attention to little me.  
Ev'ryone knows that a rain cloud  
Never eats honey, no, not a nip,  
I'm just floating around over the ground  
Wondering where I will drip._

Sora just smiled as the words of Pooh's song drifted down to his and Piglet's ears. He put his arms over his head as he watched the "little black rain cloud" (though he really looked more like a black bear with a blue balloon) in the sky. After a moment he glanced over at Piglet.

"You think he'll get enough honey?"

"Oh, I d-don't know," replied Piglet with a slight giggle. "You never can tell with Pooh."

"Sora!" called Pooh in a loud whisper. "I think the bees S-U-S-P-E-C-T something."

The boy looked up into the tree, squinting at Pooh's distant, muddy figure. It seemed like the bear was right; about a dozen bees were circling him and there were more bees hovering near the hive than before.

"Maybe they think you're after their honey," Sora offered.

"Why, it may be that. You never can tell with bees."

Then Pooh fell silent again. Sora shook his head slowly and smiled to himself, genuinely amused, while Piglet only laughed softly. They watched as Pooh outstretched one arm toward a tree branch in an attempt to move himself forward.

"Pooh must _really _like honey."

"Y-Yes, he does," said Piglet. "Very much!"

Just then Pooh Bear let out another plaintive cry. "Sora! You wouldn't happen to have such a thing as an umbrella about you, would you?"

Raising one eyebrow curiously, Sora shook his head. "Sorry, Pooh, I don't."

"Oh, bother. How about you, Piglet?"

"S-Sorry Pooh. I could maybe get one from my home, if you like."

"No, no, that's alright then. I don't believe there will be time to run home, you see."

He paused to blow off a bee that had landed on his round black nose. Both of the bear's friends looked to one another, shrugging their shoulders helplessly, and then turned back to look at Pooh.

"What do you need an umbrella for, Pooh?" asked Sora.

"I was just thinking," the bear answered, wiggling his snout, "that maybe it would help with this deception if you would get, kind of open, an umbrella and say, 'Tut-tut, it looks like rain.'"

Oddly enough, Sora understood what Pooh was thinking. He gave Pooh a firm nod. Even if he didn't have an umbrella, he'd do what he could. So he and Piglet began to pace around the base of the tree, occasionally looking forlornly into the sky and saying, just as Pooh had instructed them, "Tut-tut, it looks like rain."

The bees weren't fooled. In fact, it seemed like more bees had emerged from their hives and flew around the little black rain cloud in a most suspicious manner. This was probably because Pooh had managed to pull himself closer to the hollow at the top of the tree and was scooping honey into his mouth. Pooh let out another sad yelp as a bee finally stung him in the arm.

"So - ow! Sora!"

Sora stopped pacing and looked up at Pooh. "Yes?"

"I have just been thinking, and I think - ow!"

"You okay?"

"Yes, but I believe I am in need of some - ow! - help."

Sora squinted at Pooh's distant figure. It looked like the bees were getting angry. More and more of them were starting to surround Pooh and it was quite apparent that they were attacking him.

"Oh dear!" wailed Piglet. "D-d-dear, dear! Wh-Wh-What should we do?"

"I think I shall - ow! - come down."

Piglet suddenly looked even more worried than before. "H-How?"

Winnie-the-Pooh hadn't thought about that. If he let go of the balloon he would fall, and he didn't like that idea. So he became silent for a long while, trying to think of how to come down without getting hurt. Sora and Piglet also thought, Sora folding his arms over his chest and tilting his head to one side. After a little while, Pooh called down to his friends again.

"Sora, you must shoot the balloon. Can you?"

The boy was a little confused. The only way Sora could shoot the balloon would be with his magic, and popping the balloon with a blast of fire or ice didn't seem like a very good idea. "Um... I think so, but..."

Piglet gasped audibly. "B-But _Pooh_! If Sora does that, it will spoil the balloon!"

"But if he _doesn't_," said the bear, "I shall have to let go, and that would spoil _me._"

Seeing the logic in Pooh's words, Piglet consented to his friend's request. Sora, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to agree. He still pulled out the Keyblade and fiddled with the handle for a brief moment, his eyes locked on Pooh's muddy figure. He then set his expression into one of determination, firmly making up his mind.

"Pooh," he called, "I've got a better idea. Just hang on for a second longer, okay?"

Winnie-the-Pooh simply nodded his head, blowing another bee off of his snout with a soft "pooh." Sora readjusted his hold on the Keyblade, focused his heart, and quickly used Aero to shield himself from the bees. Then, putting the Keyblade away, Sora hurried toward the base of the tree and, upon finding holds for his hands and feet, hauled himself up. Piglet watched in surprise as Sora climbed up the tree, raising himself from one branch to the next and bringing himself closer to the top.

"B-Be careful, Sora!"

Sora glanced down at Piglet, grinning slightly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"

He got up onto one of the sturdier branches and straddled it carefully. He then turned to look toward Pooh, who was hovering just a few feet above him. By now the bees were swirling about him in the most ominous manner. Pooh had apparently placed bees into his mouth along with some honey by accident and was now spitting them out. Of course, the bees were anything but happy. Sora slowly got to his feet, one hand grabbing onto the tree trunk for support, and extended an arm toward Pooh.

"Grab my hand, Pooh!"

The mud-covered bear looked at Sora sadly and then tried to reach for Sora's hand. When he found they couldn't reach each other, Sora adjusted himself so that he could lean farther and tried again. His fingers could still only brush the side of Pooh's paw. He adjusted again, but just as he was extended his arm, one of the angry bees made a smart move. Pooh's sky blue balloon was loudly popped. The bear seemed to hover in the air for a split second before plummeting toward the earth.

"Oh, bother."

"Pooh!"

Sora immediately lunged forward, extending both arms to catch Pooh before he could fall out of his reach. He barely managed to clasp onto one of Pooh's arms, but because of the sudden movement he'd made, Sora found himself awkwardly hanging upside down from the tree branch. As he pulled Pooh closer to him, he discovered that it was because one of his sneakers had gotten caught in a knothole. He heaved a sigh. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved that they didn't fall head first toward the ground or worried that they might be hanging there for a while.

"Thank you, Sora," said Pooh, smiling at him.

The boy could only smile back. "You're welcome."

Winnie-the-Pooh then glanced worriedly at the bees that were swarming just outside of Sora's Aero shield. "I have come to a very important decision," he said. "These are the _wrong sorts _of bees."

Sora wanted to laugh, but he was also feeling quite wary of the swarm that had them surrounded. What made it worse was the fact that he wasn't sure how much longer the spell would last. He tightened his hold on Pooh Bear.

"Hang on, Pooh. We'll be outta here in just a second."

The bear nodded in response as Sora pulled himself upward so that he could grab the tree branch with his hands, grunting with the effort. He was soon wrapped around the branch rather awkwardly as he pulled his sneaker free. Once that was done, he adjusted his hold on Pooh and started to climb back down the tree, quite eager to get away from the angry bees.

As soon as they were back down on the ground, Sora pulled out the Keyblade and used Aero on themselves once again. He couldn't help but feel relieved.

"That was yummy in my tummy," said Pooh as he rubbed his stomach and smacked his lips, "but there's room for a bit more."

"Well, I don't think we can get any more honey from here," Sora told him. He looked nervously at the beehives and at the angry swarm. "Um... I think we'd better leave."

Then, taking Pooh by the paw, he hurried over to where Piglet stood and scooped him into his arms. He glanced back over his shoulder one last time as he led them a safe distance away from the Hunny Tree, crossing several pages as he did so. But what Sora soon learned was that Pooh was not the sort to give up easily, and when he had set his mind and heart on getting honey, he stuck to it.

"Now honey rhymes with bunny," Pooh told Sora frankly. "And bunny rhymes with... a..."

"Look!" Piglet cried, pointing straight ahead.

Sora looked ahead, right in the direction that Piglet pointed, and saw a large, thick tree. It was positioned on a small, grass covered hill, but all of the ground surrounding it had been beaten by the footsteps of frequent visitors. Beneath the raised roots of the tree, burrowed into the side of the small hill, was a large hole. A sign that read "Rabbit's Howse" hung over it in an almost welcoming manner.

"Rabbit's house c-came back!" squealed Piglet eagerly. "L-Let's see if he's home!"

"Who's Rabbit?" Sora wanted to know.

Pooh just smiled. "I like Rabbit," he said with a laugh, "because he uses short easy words like 'How about lunch?' and 'Help yourself, Pooh.'"

"That's nice of him," Sora smiled. "So maybe he'll have some honey to give you."

By now they had reached the entrance to Rabbit's home. They all bent down and peered curiously into the dark hole.

"Hello?" called Pooh. "Is anybody at home?"

There came a sudden scuffling noise from inside the hole, and then silence. Pooh looked over at Sora and Piglet as though seeking help, but they could only shrug in response. He then turned back and carefully stuck his head into the hole.

"What I said was, 'Is anybody at home?'"

"No!"

Pooh pulled his head out of the hole. He blinked in confusion, staring at the hole for a moment before a disappointed expression settled across his face.

"Bother," he sighed. "Isn't there anybody here at all?"

"Nobody!"

Once again, the bear seemed disappointed. Sora laid one hand on his shoulder. "Um, Pooh?" Winnie-the-Pooh turned to look at Sora inquisitively. "I think someone _is _there. I mean, there _has _to be, since somebody must have said 'nobody,' right?"

"I believe you're right, Sora," said Pooh, sitting back. He put one paw to the side of his head and thought for a moment. "Hmm... Who is this person named Nobody?"

While he and Piglet pondered the possibilities, Sora decided he'd have a look around. He got up and wandered around the other side of the tree, leaving Pooh and Piglet to further question whoever was inside the house about where Rabbit was. There had to be another way to get inside. Sora had barely taken ten steps before coming across the rest of Rabbit's property.

Extending from a line of bushes and trees was a large vegetable field enclosed by a white picket fence. The field was divided into three major sections for the different crops: carrots, cabbage, and pumpkins, each respectively labeled "kerits," "cabege," and "punkins."

_'Who wrote all these signs?' _Sora wondered.

He shrugged the thought off for now and continued examining the property. There was a small stream running straight through the middle of the garden, nourishing the soil and nearby crops. It had a narrow wooden bridge over it, connecting it to a beaten path that led up to a door under an awning in the base of the tree's trunk. To one side of the tree was a clothesline with a basket of clothes and in front was a small mailbox that read "Rabbit."

_'At least his name gets spelled right,' _thought Sora as he moved toward the door. He laid one hand on the doorknob and carefully let himself in. "Hello?"

The interior of the house was simply one round room. The walls were made of soil and clay, showing that the room was not carved into the tree and was actually beneath its roots. The door that Sora had just passed through was the only exception. It was simply decorated; there were a few paintings of carrots hanging from the earthen walls and a large, woven rug on the floor . The room was mostly lit up by a lantern that dangled over a table in the middle of the room from the roots of the ceiling. The table was set for only one, though there was another chair next to a wooden drawer set by the window. It had a checkered red tablecloth over its surface and a ceramic jug was its only other decoration. Across the room was a large wooden cabinet filled with assorted kitchenware and a basket of freshly picked carrots.

Standing near the cabinet and facing a hole in the wall, stood a gangly-looking rabbit with yellow fur. His underside (or his front side, since he stood on his hind legs) was white, just like his bushy cottontail. His facial features seemed to have stuck permanently into a look of worry and stress, and it was hard to tell whether or not he really was feeling that way as he looked around him.

"Nobody," Sora heard Pooh call from outside, "have you seen Rabbit?"

"No!" called the rabbit, sounding panicked. "No Rabbit here! There's no one here!"

Unfortunately for him, Pooh was already crawling in through the hole. The rabbit hung his head in defeat as Pooh Bear emerged with a cheerful smile.

"Hallo, Rabbit!" he greeted him as he pulled himself all the way out.

"Why, P-Pooh," said Rabbit, trying not to sound disappointed and failing miserably. "What a pleasant surprise..."

Pooh beamed at his friend, not noticing the tone of Rabbit's voice. Just then, Piglet emerged from the hole as well, cautiously poking his head out to look around first.

"H-Hello, Rabbit! I'm so v-very glad to see you!"

Rabbit smiled slightly in Piglet's direction. "Nice to see you, too, Piglet." He sounded a little less tired when addressing Piglet. Then Rabbit turned around to face Sora, who was still standing in the doorway and looking around. "And... is this a new friend?"

Sora smiled and waved, slowly stepping further into the house. "Hi there! I'm Sora. Nice to meet you."

"Why, it's nice to meet you, Sora," said Rabbit politely. As he was about to properly introduce himself, Pooh wandered further into the house. He sniffed at the air a few times and looked around the room. When Rabbit saw this, he turned to the bear in an almost urgent manner. "P-Pooh, I'm sorry, but... I'm all out of honey at the moment."

"Oh, bother. That's too bad," sighed Pooh, though he was still looking around. "Are you sure?"

"_Quite _sure."

"Hmm..." Pooh turned to Sora. "Sora, do you smell honey?"

Sora blinked in surprise. "Well, no... But I guess I could help you look for some."

"N-No!" cried Rabbit suddenly. "Please, I've nothing to give Pooh! Don't waste your time looking around!"

But it was too late. By then, both Sora and Piglet spotted a blue pot tucked between the roots of the tree above them. Sora came closer and reached for it, standing on the tips of his toes. He still came a bit short, since only the tips of his fingers could touch the pot, but he took his time in carefully coaxing the pot out of its hiding place. Once he managed to retrieve it, Sora peered inside. Sure enough, the pot was filled to the brim with golden honey. He turned to Pooh, holding to put out in offering.

"Here you go, Pooh."

Pooh's face lit up. "Thank you, Sora!"

"H-Honey? Now, how did that get up there?" Rabbit's eyes were wide as he looked at the pot. It was hard to tell if he was genuinely surprised or frightened. He sighed as he turned to face Winnie-the-Pooh. "Would you like some, Pooh? Don't feel you have to, of course."

"Oh, thank you, Rabbit." Pooh seated himself at the table and smacked his lips, cradling the honey pot in his arms. "I would like just a small smackeral. I'm quite hungry."

He then immediately began to feast on the honey, scooping its sticky sweetness into his mouth without stopping once to rest. Rabbit released another defeated sigh and moved toward his cabinet. He opened up a drawer and browsed their contents before turning to Sora and Piglet, who had seated themselves comfortably on the floor against the wall. They were both watching Pooh eat, somewhat fascinated by his boundless love for honey, but Sora's mind had begun to drift. Sooner or later, he would have to find a way back to Merlin's study.

"Can I get you two anything?" Rabbit asked, breaking into Sora's thoughts.

"Oh!" exclaimed Piglet with a small, startled jump. "Oh, no, th-that's all right, Rabbit."

"We're fine," Sora added with a grin. "But thanks anyway."

Rabbit's ears perked up at their polite refusal and he smiled in relief. Then everyone turned back to look at Pooh, who was still eating to his heart's content.

"I'm so glad to have found both Rabbit _and _some honey."

"Um, Pooh Bear?" Rabbit called nervously. "You're not eating the whole pot, are you?"

Between scooping honey into his mouth and the merry tune that he was now humming to himself, Pooh didn't hear him. It wasn't much longer before he was at the bottom of the pot, having to insert his entire arm into it to scrape up what was left.

"Once you start, there's no stopping you, is there..." Rabbit sighed again, back to feeling worried and stressed. "Ohh... out of honey again."

"Um... Sorry about all this," Sora whispered, leaning toward Rabbit. "I didn't know he'd finish off an entire pot."

"That's all right, Sora. I suppose I should be used to it by now."

Sora laughed. "He must _really _love honey."

"V-Very much so," assured Piglet, laughing softly.

Pooh stuck his snout into the pot to lap up the last traces of honey that laced its insides and then withdrew with a happy giggle. Then, humming to himself in a rather sticky voice, he got up, shook Rabbit lovingly by the paw, and said that he must be going on. Sora and Piglet also rose to their feet, ready to leave with the bear. Piglet moved to follow Pooh Bear while Sora inched toward the door. He wasn't sure why they were planning on going back through that hole again, but since it didn't seem to bother anyone else, he decided not to say anything.

"Well, good bye," said Rabbit, remaining as polite as he could, "if you're sure you won't have any more."

Pooh turned back hopefully. "_Is _there any more?"

Rabbit's ears drooped as he looked back at the empty pot on the tabletop. "No, there isn't."

Winnie-the-Pooh nodded to himself. "I thought not."

He then started to climb back out the hole. He pulled with his front paws and pushed with his feet, forcing himself through and making small uncomfortable grunts as he did so. Pooh seemed to be making some progress when suddenly...

"Oh, help!" he cried in alarm. "I'd better go back." He shifted slightly and tried to pull his upper body back out. "Oh, bother! I shall have to go on." He shifted himself again and tried to force himself through the hole. "I can't do either! Oh, help _and _bother!"

Piglet wrung his paws worriedly as he looked at his friend. "P-Pooh, are you...?"

"I'm stuck again," the bear announced to his friends sadly. "I came _in _through this hole, so it must have shrunk."

Rabbit's eyes grew wide as he looked at Pooh's behind, but the horror on his face quickly gave way to annoyance. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "All this because he can't stop liking honey so much!"

He then hurried to the other door, Sora and Piglet following him. They all went around the side of the house to reach Pooh Bear. Sora had to stifle a laugh when he saw him. Since only his head and arms had completely passed through the hole, Pooh now looked like a mounted trophy. Pooh looked at everyone pathetically as they approached.

"Oh, how will I eat honey if I'm stuck here?" Pooh sighed. He turned to look at Sora. "When it's lunch time, perhaps you could bring me a honey jar."

"No honey 'til you're unstuck!" scolded Rabbit. "If you don't slim down, my house will stay plugged up forever! If only there were something we could do..." Everyone thought for a moment, ignoring Pooh's plaintive requests for more honey. Then Rabbit was suddenly struck with an idea. "Wait, I know! A bit of carrot top juice will do the trick! I have a carrot patch on the other side of the stream. Carrot top juice is just the ticket to slimming down a Pooh!"

Piglet's ears perked up and he clapped his hands eagerly. "That's a w-w-wonderful idea, Rabbit!"

Rabbit smiled and turned toward his vegetable garden. "Well, then, I'll just - Oh no!"

A look of horror suddenly replaced Rabbit's smile as he looked out across his vegetable garden. His whole body went rigid with fear when he saw a figure rapidly approaching from the distance.

Bounding up the path toward Rabbit's house was what appeared to be an orange striped tiger. He was bouncing around on the tip of his tail, laughing and whooping and "hoo hoo hoo hoo!"ing without any regard for where he landed. There was a big, merry grin plastered across his face as he bounced about and sang to himself.

_The wonderful thing about Tiggers  
Is Tiggers are wonderful things  
Their tops are made out of rubber  
Their bottoms are made out of springs  
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy  
Fun fun fun fun FUN!  
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is  
That I'm the only one  
I'm the only one!_

"No no no no NO!"

Rabbit darted forward, the look on his face becoming one of increasing panic as the tiger came closer, smashing the small wooden bridge over the stream into pieces upon impact. He ran toward his vegetable garden with his arms outstretched toward it, but the tiger just bounced right through the cabbage patch and over the white picket fence, soaring right over Rabbit's head. Rabbit relaxed slightly upon seeing that none of his vegetables were damaged - yet.

"Hey there, long ears!" he greeted with a laugh and a salute.

Sora barely had time to react when the tiger reached him. The tiger suddenly pounced on him, sending them both rolling across the ground. Sora was momentarily disoriented when he found himself staring up into the sky, lying on the ground in the midst of cloud of dirt with a tiger on his chest, grinning right into his face.

"Hey there!" he said in a loud, excited voice as he gestured to himself proudly. "Name's Tigger! T-I-double-guh-RR. That spells Tigger!"

The boy would have laughed and introduced himself, too, but the slight weight Tigger put on his chest made it difficult. Tigger's eyebrows came together in confusion as he looked into Sora's face, obviously not recognizing him. He straightened slightly to get a better look at Sora, his dark, beady eyes drifting from the top of Sora's head all the way to his toes and back again. He raised one foot off of Sora's body to see what was underneath it, only to put it back exactly as it was.

"Well, now!" he exclaimed with a laugh. Tigger leaned forward and pressed his large, pink nose to Sora's. "I don't think I've ever seen _you _before!"

"Hello, Tigger," called Pooh, smiling and waving feebly from where he was still stuck. "You've just bounced my new friend Sora."

Tigger looked up suddenly at Pooh and grinned. "Hey, Pooh! Say, you're lookin' mighty uncomfy today." He hopped excitedly onto one foot, spreading his arms wide in an emphatic gesture and making Sora grunt. "Is that some new exercise? Why, bouncin' around is a _lot _more fun."

With that, he finally bounced off of Sora and began to make a show of just how much fun it was, bouncing and spinning around on the tip of tail and whooping merrily. Pooh just smiled. He certainly would have liked to bounce around, but his current situation was making it difficult for him to do much of anything he'd like to do.

"Wh-Why do you bounce around so much, Tigger?" Sora asked as he dusted himself off, taking the opportunity to pull himself back up onto his feet. He watched Tigger bounce around for a moment, tilting his head thoughtfully to one side.

"Why?" echoed Tigger, freezing in place and turning to look at Sora like he'd gone mad. "'Cause bouncin' is what Tiggers do _best_!" He laughed slightly, but then stopped himself. "Speaking of which, my bouncin' spot has gone and disappeared!"

He put one paw over his eyes like a visor and began to look around. Sora blinked. Disappeared? Did that mean that there were still more pages missing from the book?

"So for now," Tigger went on with a laugh, bouncing high up into the air and spreading his arms wide, "_this_'ll be my _new bouncin' ground_. Hoo hoo hoo _hoo_!"

Everyone gasped at that. Piglet clasped his hands over his mouth in shock. "B-But _Tigger_! This, this is Rabbit's _home_!"

"That's right!" cried Rabbit, spinning around on his heel to face Tigger. His eyes were practically spewing fire. "And you're certainly not welcome to bounce here! So help me, Tigger, if you even do a _smidgen _of a bounce, I'll...!"

"Aw, loosen up, long ears!" Tigger laughed, bouncing over to Rabbit and nudging him playfully in the ribs. Then, without paying attention to any of Rabbit's further protests, Tigger bounced off into the vegetable patch, smashing straight into a pumpkin as he did so. Rabbit winced at the crushing sound it made as though he had taken a blow himself.

"Tigger's bouncing will ruin my vegetables!" he wailed pulling at the ends of his ears. "And if we don't give Pooh some carrot top juice, he'll be stuck forever."

Sora ran up to the picket fence, Piglet at his heels, and watched worriedly as Rabbit's garden was destroyed patch by patch. Tigger suddenly whooped and turned to face the carrot patch. He grinned deviously, raising his rear into the air and flicking his springy tail from side to side. It seemed very clear that he was prepared to pounce toward the carrots.

"No! Tigger, stop!"

"I c-c-can't look!"

"Oh no!" Rabbit cried. "My carrots! Tigger, keep away from my carrots!"

But it seemed like Rabbit's command came too late (or maybe he was being ignored) as Tigger bounded toward the carrot patch with another energetic "hoo hoo hoo _hoo_!" Piglet covered his eyes with his hands, unable to bring himself to see whether or not the carrot patch would get destroyed. Rabbit looked like he was about to pass out. Sora, on the other hand, clambered over the white fence as fast as he could, stumbling slightly as he did so.

_'That's not as easy to do as I thought...'_

He then bolted for the carrot patch, determined to beat Tigger to it, and somehow managed to make it there at the same time. He grunted painfully when Tigger ended up bouncing off of his shoulder and pushed him toward the ground. Sora swiftly caught himself before he could land on one of the carrots, moving to the side so that he would land on a patch of empty soil, a cloud of dirt and dust rising around him. He coughed forcefully as he pulled himself from the ground and looked up at Tigger, who was now grinning eagerly at the young boy.

"Say, you kept up pretty good there, Sora," he laughed, bouncing around excitedly on the end of his tail, "especially for a _non-Tigger_! Let's have another go!"

Sora laughed faintly. "Listen, Tigger..."

Yet once again Tigger paid no attention, whooping and continuing to bounce around the carrot patch. Sora immediately scrambled to his feet and made an immense effort to intercept Tigger before he could crush any carrots beneath him. He rushed about the carrot patch, careful not to step on any of the crops, his eyes locked onto Tigger's figure.

On the other side of the vegetable garden were Rabbit, Piglet, and that large brown owl from before. Rabbit and Piglet appeared to be watching Sora and were cheering for him eagerly. Meanwhile, the owl seemed to be going on a long speech about how Sora's endeavors to save the carrot patch reminded him of a relative of his. It was quite clear that his supposed audience wasn't listening to him.

Eventually, Tigger stopped bouncing around the carrot patch and just stared at Sora, an incredulous look across his tiger face. Sora was exhausted. Keeping up with Tigger's bouncing was no easy task. He had often needed to throw himself toward a carrot to protect it, which always sent him rolling in the dirt. Even so, he'd still failed to save two of Rabbit's carrots while the rest suffered only minor damage.

While Sora saw this as a failure on his part, Tigger saw it as his own.

"What's goin' on?" he asked of no one in particular, running his paws over his head. "_Nobody _keeps up with Tiggers!" Sora felt a pang of guilt as he watched Tigger's face fall sadly. He turned to look over his shoulder, down at his springy striped tail. "Maybe there's somethin' wrong with my tail..."

Sora pulled himself back up to his full height, dusted himself off, and offered Tigger a smile. "Y'know, Tigger, you can't just make Rabbit's garden your bouncing ground. You'll wreck it and ruin all his vegetables."

At this they both looked around the garden, which had become a complete mess save for the carrot patch. Tigger made a disgusted face.

"Yuck!" he muttered, sticking his tongue out. "Messy, isn't it?"

Rabbit looked like he wanted to hit Tigger, but somehow managed to restrain himself. If he hadn't noticed, Sora would have laughed aloud at Tigger's comment.

"But I'm gonna need _somewhere _to bounce!" Tigger insisted. "A Tigger's just not a Tigger if he can't have a bouncin' spot!"

Sora looked thoughtful for a moment, folding his arms over his chest. Since the bouncing spot was gone, that had to mean that it was on a page of the book that had been torn out. Which simply meant that he was going to have to find all of the book's missing pages and restore the Hundred Acre Wood to all of its former glory.

"Well then," he said, turning back to Tigger. "I'll just have to find your usual bouncing spot for you."

Tigger stared in amazement. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Of course!" he answered, grinning from ear to ear. "I promise I'll find it for you." Tigger just continued to look at Sora, his chin quivering and his black button-like eyes glimmering with moved tears. "But until then, you have to leave Rabbit's garden alone. Okay?"

"Okay then, Sora!" he cried, shaking Sora's hand. "It's a promise!"

Then, feeling his bouncing spirit coming back to him all at once, he bid everyone an energetic "TTFN - Ta Ta For Now!" and bounced away, singing his theme song as he went. While Sora waved goodbye toward Tigger's rapidly shrinking figure, Rabbit immediately came forward and set about picking out the good carrots from what was left.

"Thank you so much," he said to Sora. "Now I'd better make that carrot top juice. I'll get the carrots, so please wait inside the house."

Sora simply nodded in agreement. He walked back toward Rabbit's house and, together with Piglet, ducked inside to wait. The brown owl followed Sora and Piglet into Rabbit's house, properly introducing himself to Sora. His name - as it so happened - was Owl, and he promptly decided that, in order to pass the time, he would tell Sora and Piglet all about an uncle or aunt (or was it a cousin?) of his whose endeavors were "similar in bravery and intelligence" to how Sora had stopped Tigger.

The story seemed to go on for quite a while and it wasn't long before Sora found himself unable to maintain his focus. He and Piglet amused themselves by tickling the underside of Pooh's feet. Owl didn't seem to notice their inattention, and continued to talk about his numerous relatives (it seemed like the story of one relative always led into the rest of them) while helping himself to a cup of tea.

"Oh, what a day!" cried Rabbit as he entered the house. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at him. He smiled triumphantly. "I gave Pooh the carrot top juice. All we have to do now is push him out. Just a little push should do."

Suddenly feeling completely energized, Sora leapt to his feet with an excited grin on his face. "All right! Just leave it to me!"

He then turned to face Pooh's protruding rear end and backed up several paces. Rabbit's face fell slightly in his confusion as he watched.

"S-Sora, what are you doing?"

"I'm gonna push Pooh back out the hole," he answered casually. "What else would I be doing?"

"Y-Yes, but you needn't push so - WAIT!"

Unfortunately for Rabbit, Sora didn't pay him any attention as he ran across the room, ramming straight into Pooh's behind with more force than necessary. Pooh popped out the other side of the hole with a surprised "Oh!" and flew straight into a pile of honey jars and potted plants. There was a loud crash as he did so and Rabbit bolted for the unclogged hole. The moment he looked through it, a stricken look came over his face. Piglet, Owl, and Sora (after picking himself up off the ground) also moved forward and crowded around the hole to see what had happened. Rabbit ran his hands over his head and pulled at the ends of his ears.

"First my vegetable patch," he lamented, "and now _this_..."

Sora grinned at what he could see through the hole. Pooh had flown straight into a honey jar, his head getting inserted snugly inside of it. He sat amongst a mess of broken fragments of clay pots and jars, his paws on either side of his head.

"Oh, bother," he moaned from the inside of the jar. "Where am I? It's _ever _so dark in here." He giggled suddenly. "Well, it isn't so bad, I suppose. There is plenty of honey!"

Still grinning in amusement, Sora started for the door so that he could help get the honey jar off of Pooh's head, as did the others. But the moment he stepped outside there was a sudden burst of wind and everything turned white...

* * *

**Author's Note: **hehe... I remember the first time I played the game, after that first scene with Piglet, I had no idea what to do. I didn't know I was supposed to go around the tree and approach Piglet from behind... I don't even remember how I figured that out! but I remember being there for a good ten minutes, trying to knock one of the beehives down so I could already get some honey for Pooh. hahaha, I'm so smart sometimes. XP 

I also think everyone that plays the game should know, if you don't already, it's entirely possible to "satisfy" Pooh's hunger in the Hunny Tree mini-game. I don't remember exactly how many units of hunny you need to get... but either way, as your levels and equipment get better, it gets much easier to do this. and you get to watch a very cute, albeit short, scene. for story purposes I had to leave Pooh in want for more hunny. for Tigger's mini-game I did just the opposite. Tigger's "there must be something wrong with my tail" line is the result of completely beating him at his own game. hehe... yeah. just thought I ought to share those little tidbits with the people who didn't already know about those things and were curious as to where I got them.

so anyways, this covers the first two pages of the 100 Acre Wood! this was really not at all easy to create. I mean, trying to combine the mini-games with the movie (and the original book, to some extent) was tough cookies, let me tell you. and then of course, there was also the fact that I was trying to make it so that Sora knows he's in the book and can cross from one page to another, the way they do in the movies. which never ceases to amuse me... wanting to do that forced me to dig around for the movie, which I had lying around the house in old, dusty, nearly obsolete VHS format. 'twas difficult, but it was done. :D huzzah!

and I only _just_ discovered that there was a bit of manga for the 100 Acre Wood. ... bah, discovered too late, I'm keeping to what I've got. :D

okay, that's enough out of me, I suppose. once again, sorry for all the long waits! but I'm holding to my vow! **_this fanfic/novelization will be completed_! **_(strikes the Naruto "nice guy" pose) _BELIEVE IT!

"It's the _nah-RAY-tor_ (Narrator)!" -Tigger


	27. Friends In My Heart

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga and their translators, both the official ones and the ones over at Aku-Tenshi (I borrowed some stuff from them).

**Author's Message**: oh... my... God... i am SO. SORRY. actually, "sorry" doesn't even _begin_ to convey how terrible i feel about this total and complete lack of updating-ness for this story. 1,856 apologies for slacking off! it was just that, i've bogged myself down with fanfics, and then suddenly it's finals week, and out of nowhere my parents are coming, and my laptop broke leaving me to alternate usage with my sister... T-T but i _promise_, the next update will happen much much sooner (i'll shoot for less than a month. 3 weeks. GIMME 3 WEEKS!). and if that still falls through, you can all bury me alive, and dance on my grave. deal? okay. good.

oh man... but i still feel absolutely awful. i don't think this chapter is even worth the wait. T-T 5 months?! are you _serious_?! _(goes off to punish herself)_ oh, and 31,985 "thank you!"s to Captain A, who awoke me from my trance. :)

okay, enough of me. you clicked that link to read the story, and **_READ, YOU SHALL._** and _**enjoy it, you will** (attempts Jedi powers of persuasion)_.

* * *

_**Chapter 26**_**  
Friends In My Heart**

_Traverse Town_

Sora blinked in surprise. It seemed like he had somehow been returned to Merlin's study. He didn't know how or why, but he was back. As he looked around the musky room, he realized that he was holding something in his right hand. He slowly uncurled his fingers and found himself holding onto a smooth, light green stone. Sora stared at it for a moment, recognizing the life-like glimmer within its core. He turned the summon stone over in his hand, inspecting it, and was just about to step forward to find the Fairy Godmother when...

"SORA!"

"Sora, you're back!"

He was suddenly tackled to the ground by two larger than normal animals. They held onto him firmly and for a moment Sora wasn't sure if he'd been attacked or if they were hugging him. Even more surprised and confused than before, Sora pried himself free and looked into the faces of his friends. He smiled helplessly at them.

"Um... hi?"

He couldn't tell by their expressions whether they were angry or relieved. That is, until Donald leapt to his feet, pulled out his staff, and bopped Sora rightly over the head with it.

"OW!"

Angry. Definitely angry.

As Sora sat back up into a sitting position, rubbing the new bruise that formed on his head, the duck glared at him, tapping one foot on the floor.

"What happened?!" he shouted, his voice filled with the usual rasping. "You had us all worried, just vanishing like that!"

Sora gingerly rubbed the new bruise on top of his head. "S-Sorry, guys."

"So, what happened?" asked Goofy, helping Sora to his feet. "Where'd you go?"

"Oh yeah! I went inside that book!"

Merlin, who had seated himself comfortably in his red armchair while waiting for Sora, raised his eyebrows in surprise upon hearing this. "Inside the book?"

Archimedes scoffed from the perch near his birdhouse and rolled his eyes. "Inside the book indeed," he muttered in annoyance.

The boy didn't seem to notice the owl's reaction and nodded eagerly. "Yeah! There's a whole other world in there!"

The wizard leaned back in his seat, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Another world?"

"Yeah!"

And so Sora went on to tell everyone about his adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood. He told them everything; from the moment he met Pooh all the way until he'd been returned to the study. While both Goofy and Donald were simply fascinated by the story, Merlin found this new information intriguing and somewhat insightful. As Sora's tale wound down to an end, the old wizard was eyeing the book where it lay, deep in thought.

"So in order for everything to go back to normal, I have to find the missing pages, just like Merlin said before."

"Gawrsh, that sounds like a big job," said Goofy, scratching the back of his neck. "You sure you can do it?"

Sora grinned. "Of course! I promised I'd help them out and I will."

Archimedes looked uncertain, skeptical of Sora's brimming confidence, but decided for once to say nothing. Merlin, on the other hand, seemed quite thrilled to hear it.

"Well then, the book and all of its inhabitants will be right here waiting for you, Sora. Come back whenever you find a torn page."

Sora's face broke into a carefree smile. "Thanks. I will."

"Hey, what's this thing?"

Everyone turned to look at Goofy as he bent down to the ground to pick something up. Sora gasped in shock as he recognized the light-green summon gem, patting himself down gently to see if he'd really dropped it. It wasn't long before he confirmed the stone Goofy held to be the right one.

"It's one of those summon gems that the Fairy Godmother told us about," he said, putting the book back in its spot on the table and walking toward Goofy and Donald. "Remember? That one was in my hand when I came out of the book. And also..." He reached into his pockets and pulled out the blue one he'd found earlier. "I found this one inside of that whale, Monstro."

Donald and Goofy stuck out their tongues in disgust when Sora mentioned where he'd found it. Sora twisted his face up in mock annoyance at their reactions.

"Oh, so _now _it's gross to you guys!" he said with false anger. "Once we're not in there anymore with his guts and saliva!"

They all laughed at that, leaving Merlin and Archimedes more than a little confused. The owl puffed his chest out in frustration and ducked into his bird house, slamming the door shut behind him. Once the trio finally stopped laughing, Merlin made a gesture with his staff toward a model of a white horse-drawn carriage that sat on the floor near the doorway. The room filled with sparkles of blue light, and within moments the Fairy Godmother appeared before them.

She didn't seem to need anyone filling her in on what had happened and why they had called her. As soon as she spotted the stones in Sora's hands, she merely smiled genially and extended one hand toward him, clearly asking to see them. Sora and Goofy exchanged glances before handing over the stones, which she examined from all sides, her lips pursed thoughtfully. When she finished, she smiled broadly and pulled out her wand.

"Let's help these little ones," she said lightly. "Here we go! _Bibbity bobbity boo_!"

As she said the magic words, the Fairy Godmother pointed her wand at the two stones. There was a bright flash of light and the sound of an elephant's trumpet echoed off the walls of Merlin's study, surprising everyone. At the same time, there was a sudden rain of leaves and flower petals over everyone's heads. Merlin was about to cast a spell to get it all cleaned up, but the instant the leaves and petals touched the floor, they vanished. With a smile on her face, the Fairy Godmother returned the stones to Sora, who had been looking around the study in amazement up until that very moment.

"If you find any more of these stones, bring them to me," she reminded him.

Sora nodded, smiling. "I know."

Then, saying goodbye to Merlin, Archimedes, and the Fairy Godmother, the trio left the magician's study and headed back to board the Gummi ship. Upon reaching First District, Donald announced that he needed to stock up on more supplies. But as they headed for the triplets' item shop, both Goofy and Sora spotted some familiar faces.

"Pinocchio?"

The small wooden boy immediately stopped in his tracks and turned around. His face lit up in excitement and he grabbed the sleeve of the elderly man accompanying him.

"Hey, it's Sora!"

Geppetto turned to look in several different directions before he spotted the trio. His face cracked into a warm smile. "Well, hello, Sora!"

Sora couldn't keep himself from grinning. He, Donald, and Goofy were all immensely relieved to see that the father-son pair was safe and sound. They'd have to let Jiminy know the moment they got back to the Gummi ship.

"How did you get here?" asked Sora.

"A man named Leon helped us," said Geppetto in reply, still smiling. "He even got us a house to live in." He pointed toward a small building on the other side of First District that Sora had never seen before. "I don't know how I'll ever repay his kindness."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy all exchanged incredulous looks. Then Sora turned back to Geppetto with a nervous, lop-sided grin.

"Um... This Leon guy you're talkin' about... Does he have long brown hair and a scar across his face?"

Geppetto blinked, pleasantly surprised. "Why, yes! Do you know him?"

Donald and Sora looked at each other again while Goofy tilted his head to one side in confusion. The physical description was right, but... Were they all thinking about the same Leon? They were just about to ask, but before any one of them could speak to Geppetto again, they were cut off.

"Say," he said suddenly, as though he'd only just remembered, "I hear you three are fighting the Heartless."

Goofy laughed softly, oblivious to the surprised looks on his friends faces. "Yup! We sure are!"

Geppetto's smile grew. "I thought I might be able to help you, so I made this."

The elderly man pulled out several slips of paper and held them out for the trio. Before Sora could even get a good look at what it was, Donald snatched it up and examined each one intently. Goofy leaned in to get a better look. Both their eyes grew wide in wonder.

"Gawrsh, Mr. Geppetto! This is..."

"This is really something!"

Sora also leaned in to see. On every sheet of paper were rough sketches of some sort of machine, along with numerous calculations and equations that Sora didn't recognize or understand. He blinked.

"Uh... What is it?"

"They're designs," Geppetto explained proudly, adjusting his spectacles. "For that Gummi ship of yours!"

Sora's eyes became just as wide as Donald's and Goofy's. He looked back down at the designs, then up again at Geppetto.

"For us?"

"But of course!" cried Geppetto excitedly. "Pinocchio and I can't thank you enough! We'll do anything we can to help you."

Just as Sora was about to thank them, Donald beat him to it. "Thank _you_, Geppetto!" he quacked eagerly, still studying the blueprints.

Sora glanced at the designs one more time. Maybe _he _didn't understand them, but Donald and Goofy certainly did. They had to be really well done to get such positive reactions from them. Sora was almost certain that Chip and Dale would be just as happy.

Pinocchio smiled, noticing the confusion on Sora's face. "Father's been really interested in the Gummi blocks lately," he said with a shrug.

The Key bearer laughed. "I guess so."

Geppetto smiled sheepishly. "Well, we'd better get home. Right, Pinocchio?"

The puppet looked up into his father's face and nodded happily.

"Yeah, we should actually get going, too," said Sora. He glanced over at Donald and Goofy, who were still looking at Geppetto's Gummi ship designs. He considered snatching them out of their hands just to get them back to normal, but decided against it. "Well, it was great seeing you guys again! We'll be sure to tell Jiminy that you're okay."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Pinocchio exclaimed suddenly. He dug into his pocket and produced a very simple looking keychain. "I thought maybe you could use this. I sure hope it helps."

He held it up so Sora could get a better look at it. Dangling at the end of the chain was a finely crafted wooden star, its surface coated in a bright yellow-gold color. It had been sanded down so much that it was hard to believe it was wood at all upon touching it.

Geppetto blinked at the gift in recognition and turned to his son. "Pinocchio, where did you find that?"

"Well, I saw it on the table before we left the house and decided to bring it with us," he explained. Then his face seemed to cloud slightly in thought. "I guess I... just had a feeling we might see Sora today."

Geppetto's face softened, his eyes smiling. "Pinocchio..."

Even Sora was surprised by Pinocchio's statement. He couldn't think of a single thing to say in response, so he just smiled. Pinocchio grinned up at him, then blew on the keychain in his hand and quickly wiped its surface on his vest, as though he were trying to make it shiny. Then, once he'd made sure that it was clean enough, he held it out for Sora to take.

"Thanks, Pinocchio!" Sora smiled, pocketing the keychain. "I'm sure it'll come in handy."

They then parted ways from Geppetto and Pinocchio, heading deeper into First District while the family of two returned to their new home. Sora, Donald, and Goofy all waved goodbye and watched them for a moment before resuming their walk to the item shop.

"I wonder what their new place is like," Sora mused, glancing briefly over his shoulder once again. "I mean, Leon was the one who gave it to them, so..."

Both Donald and Goofy's faces clouded over with thought.

"But..." Donald scratched the side of his head, slightly irritated. "_Leon_?"

"To be honest, I didn't have him pegged as the type to hand out entire houses to newcomers," Sora said with a shrug. Both of his friends nodded in agreement. "I mean, sure, he's helped us a lot with our journey, but..."

"He sure is a real _serious _fella," Goofy finished.

Donald nodded again, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. They remained silent for a moment as they walked, each one lost in their own thoughts. Leon was really proving to be a mysterious person. Though he certainly was helpful and knowledgeable, he seemed like the sort of man who preferred to work on his own and watch out for himself. But if he had given Geppetto and Pinocchio a place to live, then Sora was going to have to start looking at Leon in a whole new light.

"I guess there's just a lot about Leon that we don't know yet," Sora pointed out, smiling slightly. "And there's nothing wrong with being friendly, right?"

"Maybe," Donald said slowly, as though he were considering the idea. He then set his face into a grumpy frown as usual. "Ah, who cares? Let's just forget about it."

The court wizard threw open the door to the item shop and entered in a bit of a huff. Sora and Goofy exchanged knowing glances and, smiling, followed their feathered friend inside.

The family members exchanged the usual greetings, similar in fashion to the last time they'd been to the store, and then Donald and Huey got into an argument about how they were overcharging their "dearest uncle." Goofy shuffled his feet awkwardly as the argument progressed while Sora distracted himself by browsing the store's shelves.

Actually, he was really only examining the contents of two rows of items that had caught his eye.

"These are all weapons, right?" he asked one of the triplet ducks.

It was Dewey that came to his assistance, since - even though he had been much closer - Louie had shuffled farther away from Sora with a broom in his hands. He swept the floor eagerly, avoiding eye contact with anyone but Goofy.

"That's right!" exclaimed Dewey proudly. "I picked these out myself! We've got some of the best weapons around in stock."

Sora raised his eyebrows in surprise and plucked one from the shelf. It was a staff, much like the one that Donald used. It also had a small figurine on top that looked something like a mage with a large hat, but while the colors on Donald's staff were blue and brown, this one was maroon and red. Sora examined it from all sides, screwing his eyes up as he stared into what he figured to be the figure's face.

"That's a Magus Staff," Dewey announced, grinning from ear to ear. He then cleared his throat, as though he were preparing to recite something. "'A mystical staff that brims with power.' It's actually pretty cool how it boosts your magic. You can actually _feel _it!"

"Really?" The Key bearer grinned interestedly. He switched the staff into his other hand and used his free hand to grab something else off the shelf. "What about this?"

He showed Dewey a blue, diamond-shaped shield that bore a blue and gold design on its surface. Dewey peered at the shield, thought for a moment, and then grinned.

"That one's a Mythril Shield. It's pretty balanced and well-rounded because of its size and shape, so you can use it for attacking _and _defending." He shrugged a little helplessly. "At least, that's what I heard..."

Sora nodded absently, holding the shield out before him so he could get a better look at it. His face then broke into a broad grin. "So how much are these?"

Dewey screwed his face up slightly as he tried to remember the prices, but eventually found that he couldn't and gave up. He turned around, cupping one hand around his beak, and called out to Huey, interrupting his argument with their uncle.

"Hey Huey! How much are the Magus Staff and the Mythril Shield?"

Huey looked thoughtful for a moment, then reached back and pulled out a clipboard from behind the counter. As his eyes quickly scanned over their inventory list, both Donald and Goofy gave Sora a questioning look. The boy's grin grew even broader.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Why're you buying those things, Sora?" Goofy wanted to know.

He smiled secretly as he walked to the counter and put the items down. "Just some presents for my friends."

Goofy tilted his head curiously to one side. "Y'mean Riku and Kairi?"

Sora laughed.

By now, Huey had found the marked prices for Sora's items and turned excitedly to face him. "The shield is 750 Munny, and the staff is 1000 Munny."

Frowning slightly to hear how expensive it was, Sora pulled out his bag of Munny and peered inside to see if he had enough. Then, upon finding that he actually had more than enough to cover both his and Donald's expenses, he reached inside with a grin. Donald's jaw dropped as he watched Sora pull out the required amount and handed it over to Dewey, who had made his way around the counter so that he was at the cashier.

"Could you include all the stuff Donald's getting, too?"

Huey and Dewey exchanged excited looks as they accepted Sora's payment. Then Huey bolted for the shelf, grabbed a bag, and quickly began to stuff it with all the things that Donald asked for. Donald stared wide-eyed at Sora, who simply grinned back at him.

"What's the big idea?" he quacked at length. "I almost got 'em to break and give us a discount!"

"Gawrsh, really?" asked Goofy, looking incredulously at Donald. "It looked an awful lot like Huey was winning that argument to me..."

Donald grumbled something under his breath. Huey snickered as he passed the bag of goods over the counter to Sora, who thanked them before turning to his companions. He quickly ushered them out of the store, ignoring Donald's angry grumbling. Once they were back outside, Sora reached into the bag and grabbed the two items he had just purchased.

"These are great!" he said happily, holding them out at arm's length so he could get a better look at them. "Perfect!"

"If those're gifts for Riku and Kairi, how're you gonna deliver 'em?" asked Goofy. "We don't know where they are!"

Sora laughed aloud. "Goofy, these aren't for Riku and Kairi! They're for you and Donald!"

Both of his friends blinked in surprise. Sora's smile grew even broader as he handed the brand new Magus Staff and Mythril Shield to Donald and Goofy respectively. Their eyes wandered from Sora's face, to the new equipment they had just received, then to one another, and then back to Sora.

"Gawrsh... For _us_?"

Donald seemed to be the most confused by Sora's sudden giving behavior. "But... what for?"

Sora shrugged. "No real reason, I guess. I mean, you're my friends. I can't get you gifts just for that?"

The dog and duck's eyes grew wide in astonishment. "Just for being your friends?"

"Yeah! I don't know where I'd be without you guys around."

Warm smiles grew on both of their faces. "Sora..."

"And besides..." Sora's genial smile suddenly turned into a toothy grin and an excited glimmer appeared in his blue eyes. "Imagine how awesome we'll be with this new gear! We'll be kicking Heartless butt left and right! We'll be invincible!"

The touching moment of friendship suddenly fell apart. Goofy looked completely confused and Donald's face fell into an annoyed frown as Sora continued rambling, fuelled by his own excitement.

"That'll show everyone how tough we are!" he went on, pumping his fists in the air. "Take _that_, Riku! You just wait and see how much stronger we'll get!" Then, still grinning excitedly, Sora turned back to look at Donald and Goofy. "You guys with me?"

Donald and Goofy looked at one another. For a moment, they were both completely stunned, not quite sure what to think of this outburst. Sora's grin faded slowly as he looked at their dumbstruck faces. Then suddenly, they both burst into laughter. They couldn't help but be infected by Sora's excitement.

Sora blinked again. "What's so funny?"

"That look on your face!" laughed Goofy.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," said Donald, still grinning. "Anyways, it doesn't matter why you gave us new weapons."

"We'll take 'em anyway!"

With that, Goofy and Donald slung their arms around Sora and half-dragged him back to the Gummi ship. They were both completely infected by Sora's sudden good mood. And as they headed back, the warm smile returned to Sora's face. Even if his reason for giving them gifts didn't really matter, Sora hadn't been lying about it in the first place.

* * *

Sora fiddled with the three summon stones he'd gotten so far, shifting them between his hands as he sat quietly in his seat aboard the Gummi ship. Donald had demanded that he drive this time and refused to listen to Sora's complaints. He'd jumped into the driver's seat ahead of Sora and ordered the boy to sit down and go to sleep. Sora had turned to Goofy for help, but the captain of the guard just shrugged and laughed. 

"That's just his way of showin' he's worried about you!" he told him, keeping his voice low so Donald wouldn't hear. "Ahyuk! Not too honest, is he?"

Left with no real choice but to obey, Sora plopped down into the chair but had yet to fall asleep. Instead, he spent some time playing with the summon stones. He discovered as he did so that this seemed to please the spirits that lived inside the stones, and he felt a strange warmth growing in his heart. As strange as it sounded, it was like he was befriending and communicating with them simply through contact with the stones. Eventually, Sora drifted into a peaceful, dreamless slumber, wearing a content smile on his face.

When he woke up later on, he found all of his friends up in the cockpit. Goofy and Dale were messing around with Sora's newest keychain, while Donald and Chip discussed the designs that Geppetto had drawn up. Jiminy was writing into his notebook, whistling cheerfully. He'd been thrilled to hear that Pinocchio and Geppetto were safe in Traverse Town and had been in an uplifting mood ever since. Sora smiled, pleased with the happy atmosphere in the cockpit, then hurried off to find something to eat. He couldn't remember the last time he'd helped himself to a meal and was starved.

Soon enough, Sora, Goofy, Dale, and Jiminy were all sitting on the floor and stuffing themselves silly. Dale ate a surprising amount of food considering the fact that he was just a tiny chipmunk, and Sora felt like he had to eat faster just to be sure he would get what he wanted. They conversed amicably as they ate, telling Sora stories about how Chip and Dale used to pester Donald and how they always used to fight over food. Whenever they described Donald having one of his temper fits, Donald would suddenly blurt out "THAT'S A LIE!" at the top of his lungs, making all of them laugh.

He didn't know how long they had been traveling before Donald made an intrigued noise and pointed out that they had arrived somewhere. Everyone jumped to their feet at once and rushed to the window to see, pressing their noses and palms to the cool glass.

Sora gasped in wonder. He found himself staring out the window at another new globe, an orb of pristine blue waters. Its surface was dotted with several strips of craggy rock. There was a mysterious glimmer on the surface of the water, as though its deep blue color sheltered a great mystery. If Sora squinted and looked hard enough, he thought he could make out a faint glint of gold from somewhere deep below the ocean waves.

"What's this place?" he breathed in amazement, pressing his palms to the glass window.

Goofy peered at the little screen embedded into the desktop and squinted at the letters on the display. "A... At... lan..."

Donald rolled his eyes impatiently. "ATLANTICA."

"Ahyuk! Yup! What he said!"

Sora drew in a breath, still staring at the seemingly impenetrable blue of the ocean surface. "Atlantica... Wow..."

Donald smiled and nodded in what appeared to be his approval. "Okay, guys," he quacked, pressing several buttons on the dashboard. "Prepare for landing."

Chip and Dale saluted the pilot and quickly scrambled back to their usual posts in the engine room. Sora's head snapped around in alarm, his blue eyes wide.

"Land _where_? In the _sea_?"

Both Donald and Goofy gave Sora a funny look and slowly nodded in response. Then the duck turned back, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"W-We'll drown!"

"Not with my magic, we won't," Donald said with a wry grin. When Sora still looked confused, Donald winked at him playfully. "Just leave it to me."

Goofy grinned excitedly and made his way to the airlock. "C'mon, Sora!"

Sora nodded his head dumbly before following, casting another wary glance in Donald's direction. The duck was chuckling to himself as he readied his new Magus Staff. It had been a good long while since Donald had used a magic spell like this one.

* * *

**Message from the Author:** _(stares at the readers) _... Did my Jedi powers work on you? did you enjoy the chapter? ;; somehow, i'm getting this horrible feeling that that's a "no." but! no worries! because i promise that the next chapter will be much more fun and interesting!! _(mentally scolds herself some more for leaving a transition chapter in wait for too long)_

please review guys! i'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so _(deep breath) _so so so so sorry!


	28. Fathoms Below

**Kingdom Hearts**  
_by hikaranko_

**Summary: **This is, in all seriousness, a direct novel adaptation of the game Kingdom Hearts. "The Destiny Islands are a beautiful paradise where children's laughter abounds. Day after day, Sora, Riku, and Kairi talk and dream of new places, new worlds, beyond their islands... Little do they know a great destiny awaits them..."

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts _at all_. This entire fan fic is really just the game in novel format, so credit for the existence of all of this goes to all the hard workers at Disney and Square-Enix (most especially Tetsuya Nomura). I must also thank the creators of the KH manga and their translators, both the official ones and the ones over at Aku-Tenshi (I borrowed some stuff from them).

**Author's Message**: okay, keeping to my word. thanks to Captain A again for the reminder :D so here it is! the long awaited... NEXT CHAPTER! XD _(applauds for Atlantica)_

* * *

_**Chapter 27**_  
**Fathoms Below**

_Atlantica_

The waters were calm; not unusual in this particular spot. It was spacious here, despite being enclosed by walls of rock that had been standing there for hundreds, maybe thousands of years, its surface smoothed down by the ever flowing waters. In the very center of the enclosure was another large rock bed, on top of which lay a large white clam. The light filtered through the waters and cast distorted lines across the sea floor, casting its spell of infinite calm. It was an easy place for any fish to find some measure of peace.

A small school of angelfish passed through the area, playfully swooping around the white clam. But a strange thing occurred the moment they regrouped. Three streams of bubbles suddenly emerged from out of nowhere. Then, following only a few seconds after, there was a brilliant flash of light and three figures tumbled forward into the watery atmosphere. Several of the angelfish let out a frightened yelp, and the entire school raced away.

Sora tried to catch himself, quite unprepared for this splashy entrance. He tried at first to hold his breath, but realized to his shock that he'd already swallowed a massive quantity of salty water. He put a hand to his throat, immediately frightened that he was about to drown, but suddenly realized that there was no uncomfortable, burning sensation in his lungs. Slowly, he peeled open his eyes and found that there was no awkward sting of salt.

He immediately looked around, in search of Donald and Goofy. Much to his amazement, Donald had turned into some sort of octopus and Goofy had become a sea turtle. Though they did look like extremely awkward creatures: Donald's torso retained its usual duck form, turning only his legs into a set of blue and yellow tentacles; Goofy looked largely like a true sea turtle, but his head remained that of a dopey looking dog.

Grinning excitedly upon seeing his friends' transformation, Sora quickly examined himself. What had Donald turned _him _into? He checked all his limbs. His hands still appeared to be normal, and as he ran them over his head and face he found that they were the same as well. It was only when Sora checked his feet. His legs had melted together to form a single, powerful-looking tail that vaguely resembled that of a dolphin's. His grin grew even broader as he experimentally flipped his new fins and found himself propelled through the cool water.

"I... I'm a merman!" The moment the words were out of his mouth, his spirits soared even higher. He could talk and breathe underwater! Just like the merpeople he knew from all those kid's stories! "I'm really a merman!"

"Of _course _you are!" Donald sounded both indignant and smug. "I told you there's nothing to worry about, not with my magic around!"

It didn't seem like Sora's grin could get any bigger, and yet somehow, it did. He spun himself around in the water to look at his friends. He had to stifle a laugh at the sight of them. Donald didn't look nearly as excited as Sora or Goofy. He had his arms folded stubbornly over his chest as he drifted headfirst toward the sea floor. It didn't look like he was making any sort of effort into learning how to use his new octopus tentacles to swim. Goofy was dog-paddling through the water, which wasn't quite as effective as he thought it would be with his turtle flippers.

"This is great!" Sora exclaimed, trying to do a back flip in the water and failing. "I've always wanted to know what living under the sea would be like!"

"Ahyuk! Well, now ya know, Sora!" Goofy spun himself around in the water, laughing. "Fun, ain't it?"

Donald rolled his eyes at their excitement. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Sora laughed and whooped happily as he pulled himself through the water and flipped his fins again, which sent him coasting across the grotto. It wasn't long before he found himself heading straight for the rock and, despite his attempts to stop himself, collided into it. He grimaced at his own clumsiness, rubbing the spots where it hurt, and pushed off of the rock.

"I guess I need some practice," he murmured, mostly to himself.

Goofy laughed carelessly. "Then let's get practicin', Sora!"

"Yeah!"

The two then set off for a somewhat awkward looking lap around the cave. Donald shook his head at them. "Oh, brother."

"Come on, Sebastian!"

Donald tried to look toward the source of the unfamiliar voice, but couldn't from the strange angle he found himself at. As far as he could tell, it belonged to a young teenage girl. Soon after she spoke, there was another voice.

"Ah-riel, wait!" it wailed in a heavy Jamaican accent. "Slow down! Don' leave me behind!"

Sora and Goofy's heads both snapped toward the source of the voices, and three new faces suddenly turned into the cave. The person who seemed to be leading them was a teenage girl. Or rather, a teenage mermaid since she, similarly to Sora, had a long green fish tail and fins in place of legs. She had long, fiery red hair that flowed down her back and danced on her shoulders, constantly shifting with the flow of the ocean currents. As soon as she caught sight of Sora, Donald, and Goofy she came to an immediate stop. Her large, blue eyes seemed to grow even wider as she looked at them, seemingly afraid at first. But curiosity quickly replaced the fear, quirking her lips thoughtfully.

One of her companions, a small, red crab, didn't seem to have noticed that the mermaid had stopped. He pulled himself frantically forward, swinging his small crab arms wildly through the water and panting from exhaustion. He came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the water, finding himself face to face with an upside down Donald octopus. For a moment he was silent, Donald narrowing his eyes at him in annoyance, and then suddenly let out an alarmed wail and backed away as quickly as he could.

He looked around him in a panic and, upon sighting his mermaid companion, swam toward her. She gave the crab an odd look, raising an eyebrow at him. She had already found herself cradling her third companion, a chubby yellow and blue fish who.

"Re_lax_, Sebastian," she said to the crab, a light giggle in her voice. "They don't look like one of _them_."

Sora had to grab onto a long strip of seaweed to stop himself from crashing into the strangers. He then reached over to Donald and turned him right-side up again while Goofy swam up to rejoin them. The mermaid smiled brightly at them and then turned to the chubby fish in her arms.

"Right, Flounder?"

The fish named Flounder stopped shaking at last, but continued to give Sora and the others a wary look. "I don't know," he said slowly. "There's something _weird _about them."

Donald and Sora tensed suddenly and exchanged worried looks. Sora quickly turned back to the mermaid. He laughed, trying to sound as relaxed as possible and failing miserably. It felt like his anxiety was as clear to these strangers as the nose on his face.

"Uh... What do you mean?"

He suddenly found himself sinking through the water slightly and gave a small, self-conscious kick of his tail to get back to eye-level with the mermaid. The situation was quickly turning awkward, and neither Donald nor Goofy were being particularly helpful. Especially since Goofy had just done a playful twirl and was laughing softly to himself.

The mermaid put one slender finger thoughtfully to her lips as she once again looked Sora over, then moved swiftly through the water toward him. Her friends did the same for Donald and Goofy. Flounder swam toward Goofy, coming up close to his face, screwing his eyes up and trying to look intimidating, but the captain of the guard just grinned lazily at him. Sebastian approached Donald, and the two locked themselves into a glaring contest.

"They do seem..." Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to think of a good way to describe it. "A _little _different." Then her eyes met Sora's and she addressed him for the first time. "Where are you from?"

"Uhh..." He searched frantically for a way to answer without lying outright. He didn't dare drop the mermaid's gaze either. Sora was determined not to let her know their secret. "We're from... kinda... far away."

This was a real live mermaid, scrutinizing him from head to... tail. Would she be able to tell if they were among her people? Now she looked at the way Sora was kicking his tail. Sora suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. Was he swimming the wrong way? It was hard to swim and search for cover stories at the same time. After all, it wasn't exactly second nature to him.

"And... we're not really used to these waters."

He laughed nervously again, praying to high heaven that he hadn't blown it. The mermaid smiled sympathetically, putting one finger to her lips again as she thought.

"Oh, I see," she said kindly.

Sora hoped that the relieved breath he'd let out had gone unnoticed.

"In that case... Sebastian can show you how we swim around here."

The crab immediately broke away from Donald's potent glare, letting out a squeak of shock as he turned to look at the mermaid incredulously and swam toward her.

"Ah-riel, King Triton will not like dis!"

Ariel rolled her eyes at Sebastian's scolding, as though he'd told her this a thousand times over and was thoroughly tired of it. She shut her eyes and sighed, shaking her head.

"Oh, don't worry," she assured him.

Sebastian snorted indignantly and turned away, grumbling under his breath. "Easy fo' _you _to say..."

The mermaid heaved another exasperated sigh and then turned to Sora and his friends, wiping all traces of annoyance out of her expression. "So what are your names?"

"Oh, I'm..." Sora gave another self-conscious kick to stay eye-level with Ariel. "I'm Sora. And these are my friends, Donald and Goofy." He gestured to each of them as he said their names, and they greeted the young mermaid accordingly.

Ariel giggled softly. "Well, it's nice to meet you all! My name's Ariel. This is my best friend Flounder, and that's..." She threw the small red crab one last annoyed look. "...Sebastian."

Sebastian frowned at the manner in which he'd been introduced, but remained silent. He then looked over at Sora, Donald, and Goofy, letting his eyes scrutinize them from top to bottom. He seemed especially suspicious of Sora, since he was still struggling to remain at eye-level with Ariel. Sebastian looked thoughtful for a moment, rubbing his chin with one claw. Then, with an exasperated noise somewhere between a sigh and a groan, he swam over to them.

"Okay, it's time you learn to swim properly." He glanced at Flounder and gestured for him to come closer. "Practice swimming wit Flounder. Try to tag him."

The chubby fish smiled and wiggled his tail playfully. Sora grinned, his hands balling excitedly into fists as he looked over at his friends. Goofy laughed softly, just as eager as Sora was while Donald shook his head and rolled his eyes at the childish behavior.

"All right," said Sebastian, raising his voice so he sounded more commanding. Sora and Goofy straightened, making themselves look like soldiers at attention despite the eager grins on their faces. Sebastian raised an eyebrow at their antics and slowly nodded. "Begin."

Flounder suddenly sprang to life, darting away from Sora and the others. Sora and Goofy gave chase excitedly, leaving Donald behind for a moment as he once again rolled his eyes. Soon enough, all three of them were swimming around the cave, playing a game of tag with Flounder. Ariel eventually joined in, occasionally commenting on something that Sora seemed to be doing wrong (at which times he blushed in embarrassment). It wasn't long before Sora, Donald, and Goofy had all gotten the hang of their new underwater limbs and were perfectly capable of keeping up with the mermaid and her friends.

Sebastian seemed pleased with their improvement, nodding his head sagely as he watched their game of tag. "Good job. Now let's move on-"

He raised a claw in a movement to call them to a stop, but no one had noticed. They were far too distracted with playing and messing around. Goofy and Ariel were still playing tag while Donald and Sora were pretending to be sharks and chasing Flounder around, using their hands as fake teeth. When she saw this, Ariel gave a mock cry of fear and dived toward Flounder, rescuing him from Sora and Donald's outstretched shark teeth and spinning through the water. They dropped the act as Goofy rejoined them, now laughing too hard to keep it up.

It seemed like Sebastian couldn't decide whether or not he liked the idea of Ariel being so friendly with this trio of outsiders. He twisted his face up in annoyance, pressing his lips together.

"Would you people pipe down fo' one moment and let me finish!"

But they continued to shake with insistent giggles and snorts of laughter, hardly able to contain themselves. The crab just glared at them, waiting impatiently with his claws folded over his chest. Ariel tried very hard to stifle her giggles long enough to give Sebastian an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Sebastian," she said, though it didn't sound entirely genuine.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. He then cleared his throat, attempting to get Sora, Donald, and Goofy's attention back. "Now den. Let's move on to self defense-"

But before Sebastian could finish, Ariel and Flounder's laughter stopped abruptly. Their eyes became as wide as saucers.

"Sebastian!"

Ariel pointed at what she'd spotted, and everyone immediately spun around to see. A small group of strange monsters were gliding through the water, heading straight into the grotto. Their bodies were similar to that of a jellyfish; they had spindly looking legs that looked like yellow flippers protruding from a transparent sphere that seemed to serve as the head. Between the two glowing eyes was the insignia of the Heartless.

The Key bearer clenched his teeth, his hands balling into fists. "Not again!"

Sora, Donald, and Goofy immediately rose to the challenge, wiping away almost all traces of the jubilance that had only just been on their faces. Ariel and Flounder swam off in the opposite direction, Sebastian just behind them.

"Class is over," he cried, slightly panicked as he passed Sora. "Good luck!"

The mermaid swam into a separate tunnel while Flounder and Sebastian ducked into the safety of the large white clam perched in the middle of the grotto. Once they were all effectively hidden from the incoming Heartless, Sora turned to his companions with a determined nod.

"Let's go, guys!"

All three of them pulled out their weapons. The Heartless slowed slightly upon finding them in their way. For a brief moment, they did nothing and simply treaded there. Once the fact that they were up against the Keyblade master settled in, they sprang to life.

All of the Heartless extended their spindly legs out, reared back, and then spun around wildly, propelling themselves forward through the water and attacking at the same time. Sora and the others simply swam out of the way in an easy dodge, and then swung their weapons down onto the heads of the Heartless. Despite the rather large number of enemies that came forward, they were easily taken care of. Sora couldn't suppress the slight grin on his face. If it hadn't been for Ariel and then others showing them how to swim better, they probably would've been easy targets for these Heartless.

Once the last one was defeated, Sora and the others turned to one another, exchanging eager high fives.

"That was _amazing_!"

All three friends turned to face Ariel as she swam up. She laughed carelessly, throwing her arms around Sora's neck in a hug and sending them both twirling through the water. She then pulled away from Sora and gave Donald and Goofy similar treatment.

"How did you defeat those creatures?" she asked them in astonishment. "All we could do was swim for it when they came out, right, Flou-" She blinked in confusion when she failed to find her best friend at her side. "Flounder?"

"Ariel!" came a muffled voice. "Help!"

Everyone turned to see where it had come from, which turned out to be the inside of the white clam. Ariel swam right up to it, putting an ear to its surface.

"Flounder? What are you doing in there?"

"We were hiding from those creatures, and-"

"And now we're _stuck_!" announced Sebastian's voice indignantly. He must have struck a claw against the inside of the clam since the entire thing seemed to jump slightly in place. Ariel pulled away at once in her surprise.

"Heeeelp!" Flounder wailed.

"Get us _outta_ here!"

Still smiling, Ariel slid her fingers into the small space under the clam's lid, repositioned herself above it to get a better grip, and pulled with all of her might. Sora and Donald moved to help her, but ended up stumbling over Goofy. This sent all three of them tumbling forward in the water, their still drawn weapons flailing. Ariel gave out a shout of alarm and sprang back as they came closer. Donald's staff ended up striking the white clam, which made it immediately pop open. Flounder and Sebastian swam out into freedom, gasping and wheezing as though they had almost suffocated.

Ariel smiled helplessly as Flounder hurried to her side, shaking her head. "Oh, Flounder. You're such a guppy."

"I am _not_."

Sora, Donald, and Goofy recovered from their awkward fall through the water and quickly put their weapons away. The boy blushed slightly, scratching the back of his head.

"That was kinda embarrassing," he murmured to his friends, showing a lopsided grin.

Donald and Goofy each nodded in agreement.

"But, uh, what're the Heartless doin' here?" Goofy wanted to know.

"I don't know," admitted Sora, keeping his voice low. "But I guess we'd better check it out, huh?"

His friends nodded again and all three of them turned back around to face Ariel and the others. Ariel and Flounder were both apparently being scolded by Sebastian. He was saying something about irresponsibility and the phrase "What would your faddah tink?!" was frequently heard. But Ariel didn't seem to be listening. In fact, it was quite obvious that she had taken a much greater interest in what Sora, Donald, and Goofy were saying to one another.

"Do you three know what those creatures are?" she asked, looking wide-eyed at them.

"Uhh..." Sora shot a quick glance in the direction of his friends for help. Donald helped by jabbing Goofy in his side, effectively shutting him up before he gave anything away. "We've, uh... We've just seen them before. Um, back home. But we don't really know what they are. What about you guys?"

Sora couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with the lie, no matter how slight it was. Though it did manage to throw Ariel off for the moment, as a worried frown pulled at the corners of her lips. She exchanged the same concerned look with her companions.

"Those creatures chased us here," she told them, only the slightest twinge of fear in her voice.

The Key bearer nodded his head slowly in understanding. Donald gave him a meaningful look, also nodding in a sage manner. He then gestured for them to continue on their way and tugged on one of Goofy's fins. But before Sora could turn to say goodbye to Ariel and the others, Sebastian let out a squeak of alarm and clapped his claws over his head.

"Oh, no!" he wailed, his eyes widening. "D'oze monsters might be heading for da palace, too!"

Ariel gasped, turning back around to face Sebastian and Flounder. "We'd better head back right away!"

"But-" Flounder raised one fin objectively, his eyes wider than ever and his body trembling. "-wh-what if we run into more on our way back?"

The young mermaid looked thoughtful for a moment, chewing on her lower lip. Then her face seemed to light up and she looked over at Sora, Donald, and Goofy.

"I'm sorry, but we need your help," she said. "Please come to the palace with us."

Something inside Sora jumped in shock and excitement. _'Palace?!'_

"Don't worry!" Ariel went on quickly, seeming to sense what Sora was feeling. "It'll be fine! We can show you the way there!"

The trio looked at one another helplessly, shrugged, and turned back to Ariel and the others with a firm, solid nod of agreement. A brilliant smile spread across Ariel's face. Flounder and Sebastian merely looked relieved with the notion that they wouldn't have to worry too much about the monsters. Ariel flashed an eager grin at her companions, but only Flounder returned it.

"Okay, let's get going," she told them, swimming forward to lead the way.

* * *

Over the course of the next few moments, Sora came to a decision: Atlantica was a beautiful world. Having lived by the ocean his entire life, it was no surprise that he had often wondered what it was like beneath the pristine blue waves that surrounded him. He once brought the subject up with Kairi and Riku when they were younger, which led to an afternoon of dreaming up the most amazing things while splashing about in the shallows on the island. 

But none of them had ever imagined anything quite as incredible as the real thing.

The underwater world was practically boundless on all sides. There were no walls here; only an endless blue space and since gravity was largely irrelevant, there was nothing one couldn't reach. Jutting out of the sea floor at irregular intervals were large, layered chunks of rock. Some of them seemed to have deep tunnel ways carved into them, winding into countless caverns and passageways. A large variety of colorful undersea plants and flowers grew in what seemed like the most impossible places. Large patches of coral dotted the landscape, interrupting the monotonous shades of blue with its bright colors. Sunlight filtered through the water from above, casting strange and beautiful reflections of light haphazardly across the blue-tinted ocean floor.

The only thing about Atlantica that Sora didn't like was the sheer number of Heartless that were around. If it weren't for them, Sora would have preferred to just swim around and play all day. It honestly felt like there was a large group of them hiding behind every seaweed covered rock, waiting to pounce. It made him think of the first time he arrived at Traverse Town. Though it seemed much worse here; without the restriction of gravity, the enemy was free to attack from any angle - from the sides, above, below... Fighting them off while following and protecting Ariel, Sebastian, and Flounder all at once was no easy task.

The Heartless had evolved to better suit the environment of Atlantica, many of them taking on forms similar to those of fish. Some looked like jellyfish, others like enlarged versions of blowfish, and still others looked just like Heartless soldiers that had been encountered before, except they were equipped with green underwater gear and wielded harpoons.

"They're worse than ever!" Sora said to his friends, just moments after he'd cut another one down. He winced at some of the reddening scratches on his bare, exposed arm, and quickly used Cure on himself before any blood seeped out.

"Yeah," agreed Goofy warily, pulling back from the Heartless he'd just defeated. "Gawrsh, it's almost like they can't wait to get rid of us."

Sora frowned, watching the last of the Heartless erupt into smoky black bubbles. "I think you're right..."

"Makes sense," Donald pitched in, swimming up to join them. He lowered his voice, shooting a cautious look at Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian as they emerged from their hiding place. "Us sealing the Keyholes must be making 'em mad."

The boy nodded in agreement, though he couldn't quite shake the feeling that there was something else going on. It was just a gut feeling that he couldn't quite understand or some strange, anxious resonating in his heart. It almost felt as though he'd overlooked a detail or forgotten something important. He dismissed it for now, blaming it on his unsettling encounter with Riku, which only strengthened his resolve to find him again and bring his best friend to his senses.

"This way!" Ariel called, pointing down an underground tunnel near her. "Come on!"

Sora and the others nodded and swam over, still casting about them for more signs of Heartless. As both Ariel and Flounder entered the tunnel ahead, Sebastian gave the young mermaid a puzzled look, his brow furrowing slightly.

"But Ariel," he called after her, grabbing onto one of Goofy's fins as he passed, "dis isn't-"

"It's a shortcut," the redhead said, a small, mischievous smile on her face.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at her, obviously worried. "Ah-riel, what are you-" He abruptly cut himself off with a gasp. "Jumpin' jellyfish!"

Everyone but Ariel and Flounder came to an abrupt stop as they found themselves face to face with a wall of fast-moving, swirling bubbles. Sora frowned, confused.

"Uh... Ariel?" he asked tentatively, turning toward his mermaid companion. "How're we supposed to get through here?"

"Took da words right outta my mouth!" agreed Sebastian, looking contemptuously at the young mermaid.

"Simple!" she replied in a sing-song voice. Ariel scooped Flounder and Sebastian up into her arms, smiling. "Just follow me!"

Then, before anyone could react, she swam forward, entering the swirling vortex of water despite Sebastian's frantic protests. Sora, Donald, and Goofy wore identical expressions of shock as they watched Ariel get swept away, whooping enthusiastically as she vanished out of sight. Sora was the first to snap out of it and move forward. With one hand tightly gripping the wall of rock as an anchor, he poked his head into the swirling water and tried to search for Ariel amidst the mass of bubbles. His spiky hair billowed wildly into his face, making it even harder to see.

"ARIEL!" he shouted as loudly as he could. But the force of the powerful ocean current seemed to have muffled out all sound. He couldn't hear anything but the roar of rushing water.

A feathery hand suddenly grabbed onto Sora's arm and gave it a strong, insistent tug. Recognizing the signal to come back, Sora tried to readjust his hold on the rock so that he could pull himself back out of the vortex. But the split second in which his weight shifted was all the current needed. At once Sora was swept away, dragging Donald and Goofy along with him. They tumbled head over tail down the narrow tunnel and Sora frantically reached out around him in search of something to grab onto.

His fingers grazed against the stone wall and Sora quickly scrabbled to find a decent handhold. Soon enough, he managed to hook his fingers into a crack in the wall. He came to an abrupt, violent stop that jolted nearly everything in his system. Clinging tightly to his small handhold, Sora tried to search for Donald and Goofy but to no avail. He tried calling out their names, but his voice was lost. It wasn't long before the strong current wrenched him away from the wall and sent him hurtling down the length of the tunnel.

Then something grabbed him by the arm and abruptly pulled him to one side. Sora suddenly found himself hurtling uncontrollably into a patch of seaweed and moss growing on the stone wall. The plants cushioned the collision with the wall, though Sora still wound up pressed upside-down against it. The force of the current and the roaring in his ears diminished and everything suddenly seemed very quiet. Disoriented and dizzy, Sora tried to look around him and regain a sense of himself as he slid slowly down the curved stone.

"Gawrsh, Sora! Are you okay?"

"Wh-What...?"

He saw several pairs of blurry hands reach toward him and pull him back into an upright position. Some of them had to stop and untangle long strips of seaweed wrapped around his torso. Sora shut his eyes tightly for a moment, vigorously shook off his dizziness, and then looked around him again with his eyes properly focused. He found himself looking up into the faces of Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian. Donald and Goofy were apparently on either side of him, holding him steady. Ariel and Flounder both laughed softly. Sebastian seemed to be annoyed and was grumbling something under his breath.

"You okay?" asked Flounder. "That looked pretty bad."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, but... what just happened?"

"Ariel pulled us out of the current," Donald explained. "But it looked like she pulled you a little too hard."

"Sorry, Sora," Ariel said, smiling sheepishly. "I didn't mean to, you're just a lot lighter than I thought you'd be."

Sora blinked, exchanging a dazed look with his two friends before turning back to Ariel and Flounder. The confusion slowly lifted from his expression and he managed a lopsided grin.

"That's okay," he said, freeing himself from the tangle of seaweed. "I had no idea how I was gonna get outta there, so... Thanks!"

The mermaid smiled warmly. "Well then, you're welcome."

"Now dat dat's over wit," Sebastian pitched in, still a bit grouchy, "we'd bettah get a move on! D'oze monstahs could reach da palace any minute now! We need ta hurry!"

Ariel suddenly became serious and nodded in agreement. She then gestured for them all to follow and kicked off, her and Flounder in the lead. They eventually emerged in a larger cave that appeared to be closed off on all sides. The only other way out was above them, but as soon as everyone swam toward the large, gaping hole, more Heartless appeared in their path. Ariel halted immediately and backed up, hurrying to cover Flounder and Sebastian. Sora, Donald, and Goofy once again swam straight into the fray despite their exhaustion, weapons flashing.

"Go on ahead and take cover, Ariel!" Sora called between slashes. "We'll take care of these guys!"

On Sora's command the little mermaid nodded and swam slightly ahead, carefully picking her way through the so-called battlefield with Flounder and Sebastian in her arms. She floated anxiously on the other side of the hole, glancing about the valley she'd emerged in for signs of more monsters. Soon enough, the trio pulled themselves out and joined Ariel, Sora and Donald taking turns drinking from an Ether bottle. Ariel gaped at them all, extremely impressed by their abilities. As she, Flounder, and Sebastian led the way over a large undersea valley to the palace, they were constantly bombarded by Heartless attacks on all sides. They often had to swim fast to get away since Sora and the others were getting fatigued.

Sora kept exchanging wondrous glances over at Donald, neither of them unable to understand why Atlantica was under such an intense infestation. Even though they had all agreed that the Heartless were probably getting angry, the unrelenting attacks were undeniably unusual.

Ariel and the others pointed them down another tunnel on the opposite side of the valley. They swam through, and when they emerged on the other end of it, Sora had to stop and gape. While they had yet to actually reach and enter the palace, it was clearly visible from that distance. It was a series of tall, golden towers, stretching high up toward the surface as they gleamed brilliantly under the filtered sunlight. The entire palace shone, a bright beacon of golden light amidst the vast stretch of blue ocean.

Donald and Goofy urged Sora forward, as there was very little time to dawdle about. More Heartless had appeared in this new area, and if it hadn't been for everyone else yanking him out of the way, Sora would have wound up with a harpoon stuck in his side. While Sora, Donald, and Goofy fought off as many of the Heartless as they could, Sebastian was in an all-out panic. As they had feared, the Heartless had spread to areas close to the palace, which was never a good sign.

The crab hurried them onward once the area was more or less clear. Both he and Ariel led the way up a long stretch of white stone that served as a pathway leading to the palace. Sora found it to be a little strange; merpeople didn't really need a paved path since they could simply swim weightlessly through the water. He didn't voice this, of course, but he knew by the look on Goofy's face that a similar thought had occurred to him.

Sebastian let out another cry of horror as they entered the palace: more Heartless.

"Dey're everywhere!" he wailed, clamping onto Ariel's tail fin as she swam away.

Sora bit down on his lower lip and tightened his grip on the Keyblade. "Yeah..." He couldn't shake the feeling that it was all because of him.

"Quick, this way!"

Ariel turned sharply down into a long passageway lined on both sides with tall, blue-green pillars. Everyone followed her example as she tried to outmaneuver the Heartless. She kept throwing glances back at them over her shoulder, and Sora could have sworn that she had a small, excited grin on her face. He wanted to laugh because of the adrenaline rushing through his veins, but his own anxiety held the impulse at bay. It was almost completely eliminated when there was a sudden flash of lightning, streaking right past him and nearly grazing his shoulder before destroying all of the Heartless with a bang.

Everyone immediately came to an abrupt halt, turning around fully to stare, awestruck at the empty spot that had once been occupied by a horde of Heartless. Sora glanced over at Donald, wondering briefly if maybe he was the one who'd wiped them out. But judging by the surprised look the court wizard wore on his face, the blast had definitely come from somewhere else.

"That was _too close_," thundered a voice from behind them.

They all turned around to face the speaker, Ariel with a broad smile on her face. They had apparently wound up in what was clearly the palace's throne room. It was a large, circular room closed off by the same sorts of columns in the hallway. In the very center of the room, the floor gracefully swooped up and blossomed open like a flower, its surface ridged like that of a clam. Emerging from the middle, supported by a stone beam, was an unmistakable throne. It was a large chair that resembled an open oyster, with a high back that fanned outward and looked quite like a sand dollar. On either side of the seat were two more columns, shaped like a large vase that was open at the top, allowing jets of bubbles and soft blue light to issue out from it. Protruding from the top of the throne was a spike, tapering to a point and vaguely resembling a majestic crown.

Seated in this throne was a large, burly merman with long, flowing hair and an equally long beard. Despite the clear age shown by the silver of his hair and beard, his torso was toned and muscular. Large, gold bracers were clasped around his strong forearms, and his firm hands tightly held onto a golden, three pronged spear; a trident. The man's eyes were stern and fierce, currently set into a glare as they focused on the spot where the Heartless used to be. Atop the merman's head was a large golden crown.

Ariel swam over to the merman, beckoning Sora and the others to follow her with a nod of her head. They obeyed hesitantly, Flounder taking a moment to swallow nervously first. He seemed to be shaking as they approached, and he didn't seem to be doing any better as Ariel left his side, approaching the throne faster than the others. Sora patted him absently on the head as they moved forward, his blue eyes fixated on the large merman's face.

"As long as I have my trident," he roared, "I will _not tolerate _those creatures _inside _this palace."

The merman tightened his hold on his weapon for a moment, then loosened it again. He placed his golden trident into a holding spot next to his throne, then slowly turned his eyes to Ariel. They didn't lose an ounce of intensity in doing so, and the merman appeared to be glaring at the young mermaid as she approached him. Still, Ariel's smile didn't waver.

"Daddy!" she cried, moving even closer to him.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy jumped slightly in surprise. _'Ariel's father?!'_

"Oh, Ariel!" he said, his tone of voice scolding and heavy with exasperation. The effect on Ariel was instant: she flinched visibly and her smile immediately vanished in favor of biting down on her lip. "_When _will you listen? It's _dangerous _out there!"

Ariel drew in a breath. For a moment it looked as though she meant to explain herself, but she apparently gave up half way. She looked up at the ceiling and gave a small, careless shrug. Understandably, her father grew still more upset.

"_Strange creatures _lurk outside," he scolded.

And the merman's intense, penetrating glare suddenly turned on Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Clearly, he was grouping the three of them with the Heartless in his statement. Both Sora and Donald's eyes grew wide at this, but the latter could more or less understand how the merman felt. The statement was more or less true; they _were _outsiders. But Sora was pretty sure he didn't want to be considered similar to the Heartless.

_'We're not _with _them,' _Sora thought, dropping his gaze so that he was looking at the floor below them with a disturbed frown on his face. _'We've been _fighting_ them all this time...'_

Sebastian, having apparently moved forward through the water so that he was standing on one of the throne's arms, cleared his throat importantly.

"Behold!" he announced, turning to the trio of newcomers and gesturing to the man in the throne. "You swim before da ruler of da seas! His Majesty, King Triton!"

King Triton had now dropped the glare and was eyeing them suspiciously. After a moment, he turned to the small red crab, one eyebrow raised.

"And who are _they_?"

"They helped us fight off those creatures," Ariel explained, smiling a little.

The king glanced at Ariel, then returned to giving Sora, Donald, and Goofy a suspicious look. "They don't look familiar."

Sora stole a nervous glance over at Donald before speaking up. "We're from an ocean..." Feeling quite uncomfortable with lying, he frantically searched for a half-truth to give them. "..._very _far away."

"Yup!" Goofy chuckled merrily, swimming around Sora and Donald in a circle. "We came to find the Keyhole!"

Both of his companions turned sharply to look at him, their eyes wide in horror. Sora's heart leapt into his throat nervously. He wanted desperately to reach over and clap a hand over the captain of the guard's snout, but before he could try, Goofy had already swum further away. Donald just barely kept himself from going over and bopping his friend on the head.

King Triton's expression twisted fiercely. "The _what_?!"

Ariel's blue eyes lit with curiosity. She exchanged an excited look with Flounder before turning to Goofy, who was now making wide, lazy circles around them.

"What's that?" she asked, sounding eager and innocent all at once.

"Ahyuk! Well, it's a-"

"_There's no such thing_!" King Triton bellowed, tightly gripping the sides of his throne and leaning forward. "_Certainly _not _here_!"

Sora and Donald stared at the king, shocked by the vehemence in his voice and by the fact that they'd been given another horrible glare. Goofy blinked, disoriented at having been cut off, and turned to look fearfully at the burly merman. He withdrew his head into his shell a little bit in an attempt to hide from King Triton's rage.

Ariel looked over at her father and frowned. "But _Daddy_-"

The king narrowed his eyes. "_Ariel_," he growled, with a force that only came from the strictest of fathers, "not another word! You are _not _to leave the palace! _Is - that - clear_?"

Sebastian clasped his claws over his mouth as he watched the exchange with increasing anxiety. Ariel glared up at her father, tightly pressing her lips together to keep herself from arguing back. Her hands clenched into fists and she whirled around, swimming away from the throne room. Flounder threw a nervous look at the king before following her, calling her name worriedly. Sora, Donald, and Goofy followed her as well, too afraid of Triton's ferocity and too worried about Ariel to remain there any longer than necessary.

* * *

The ruler of the seas watched his youngest daughter exit for a long moment, Sebastian still positioned on one of the arms of his throne. For a long while they were silent, the angry look still plastered across Triton's face. At length, he slowly shook his head and the expression washed away, replaced by one of worry and distress. The king slumped in his throne, propping his head up with one hand and sighing heavily. 

"Perhaps I'm being too strict," he murmured, glancing at his faithful crab retainer. "I'm just concerned for her safety."

He glanced back up and managed to catch one last, fleeting glimpse of the tails of Ariel's newest companions as they disappeared around the corner. Sebastian folded his claws in front of him, nodding his head in a sage manner.

"Of course, your Majesty." Then he also looked toward where everyone had disappeared and scratched the underside of his chin thoughtfully. "But I must admit, now I'm quite curious about dis 'Keyhole.'"

King Triton reached over and placed one of his strong hands over Sebastian. This effectively silenced the crab with a surprised squeak.

"That need not concern _you_, Sebastian," he said in a commanding voice, narrowing his eyes.

Sebastian gazed up at the king with wide eyes and nodded his head in agreement, suddenly unable to find his proper voice. Only then did the king withdraw his hand, releasing another heavy, weary sigh. His brow became furrowed as he turned to a separate order of business.

"Have you anything to report?"

The crab nodded once again. "Just as you suspected, your Majesty, dey seem to be coming from Ursula's grotto."

"I _knew _it!" Triton boomed, slamming one fist down on the throne. Sebastian was sent a few inches into the air by the force. "That sea witch is up to no good again! I see exile from the palace has taught her nothing."

He leaned back, stroking his beard, his eyes cast toward the ceiling in thought. Sebastian fixed himself quickly, getting back onto his legs and straightening his shell.

"Yes," he agreed urgently, "she poses serious danger."

The king's eyes turned back down so that he was giving the crab an accusing look. "And I told you to keep Ariel _away _from such danger, did I not?"

Sebastian backed away awkwardly, laughing nervously and avoiding direct eye contact with King Triton. "Your Majesty," he sputtered, "_please_, I, uh..."

Triton leaned back into the throne with a tired sigh, putting his fingers to his temple and trying to massage away the incoming headache. He then dismissed Sebastian from the throne room, ordering him to resume his assigned job of supervising Ariel... and her new friends. The ruler of the seas decided that he was indeed most curious about them.

* * *

"Wow," Sora murmured quietly, glancing back over his shoulder in the direction of the throne room. "And I thought _my _parents were hard on me..." 

"He's just looking out for her," Donald pointed out with a small shrug. "He _is _her father."

The boy nodded slowly, facing forward again. "I guess so..."

"Aw, I sure hope they'll be okay," Goofy muttered sadly.

Donald reached over and bopped his fist over Goofy's shelled backside. "It's all because you blabbed about the Keyhole! How many times do I hafta remind you not to talk about that?!"

The captain of guard laughed sheepishly. "Gawrsh, I'm real sorry, Donald!"

The duck/octopus shouted something in frustration, but it was so garbled with his raspy voice that it was completely incomprehensible. Sora immediately swam over and clamped Donald's beak shut, muffling his angry rambling.

"Shh! Keep your voice down," he whispered urgently, motioning toward Ariel and Flounder. Donald blinked in surprise and looked over at the young mermaid and her friend, suddenly ashamed of the fact that he'd lost his temper again. Only then did Sora release him and swam over so that he was swimming alongside the Atlanticans. "Ariel, are you okay?"

Ariel and Flounder looked over at the boy in surprise. Apparently, Sora had interrupted some conversation between them. After a brief moment, the young teenage mermaid lowered her gaze and shook her head, giving what looked like a bit of a forced smile.

"I... I'm fine."

Sora tilted his head to one side, not entirely convinced by the statement. Still, he decided it would be better to drop the subject. "So... where are you guys off to?"

They exchanged one of those looks again and then turned back to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Ariel gestured for them to come a little closer and, once they were all huddled together, spoke in low, conspiratorial tones.

"Come with us to my grotto," she said. "I want to show you something."

Three pairs of eyes blinked at her in unified confusion. "Your grotto?"

The little mermaid nodded, a mischievous glint suddenly apparent in her big blue eyes. She then motioned for them to follow her and Flounder and hurried away. Donald looked rather worried as he watched the pair swim ahead.

"I dunno about this," he muttered. "What do you think, So - WAK?!"

Upon turning to face his friends, Donald suddenly found himself talking to two bubble clouds where Sora and Goofy used to be. He turned himself all the way around before realizing that Sora and Goofy had gone ahead to follow Ariel and Flounder. Goofy, however, had apparently paused to look back at him and waved.

"C'mon, Donald!" he called with a laugh.

And with that, he continued on his way. Donald frowned and narrowed his eyes, feeling quite fed up with his friends' reckless curiosity. Then, deciding that the least he could do was keep an eye on them, he followed the group as well, grumbling under his breath the whole way.

* * *

**Author's Message:** MUCH longer this time, and therefore much better, eh? well... hmm, not much to say here, really. i think i struggled most with the beginning of this chapter. i was stuck there for months, trying to find a way through it but finding myself unable to for some reason. so i sort of forced it, dunno if that's obvious, but thankfully things got a lot easier once i was past the first part. :) i'm trying to include as many elements from the game as possible for this world because... well, the real _movie_ stuff happened in the second game. and i totally had a "WUH??" moment when Ursula was still alive in KH2... gah, make my life more complicated. 

but anyways! please review, everybody!


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